


To the Ends of the Stars

by My_Trex_has_fleas



Series: Light and Dark [1]
Category: Star Wars Episode VII: The Force Awakens (2015)
Genre: Enemies to Friends to Lovers, Explicit Language, Explicit Sexual Content, Force-Sensitive Hux, Grey Jedi, Hostage Situations, Hux is unintentionally hilarious, M/M, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Politics, Slow Burn, Smuggling, Tug of war, intergalactic shenanigans
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-03-23
Updated: 2016-10-13
Packaged: 2018-05-28 16:19:50
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 30
Words: 138,914
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6335890
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/My_Trex_has_fleas/pseuds/My_Trex_has_fleas
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Hux is no fool. </p><p>He knows that his failure will be met with grave consequences and while he is happy to throw other people under the starship, he's not so keen for that to happen to him. So when Snoke tells him he must bring Kylo Ren to him, he hatches a plan.</p><p>If he's going to be forced to barter for his life, he'll need a bargaining chip. And what better bargaining chip than the Supreme Leader's apprentice.</p><p>AKA Hux takes Kylo Ren hostage after the collapse of Starkiller Base and they go on the run with everyone after them.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. The Getaway

_The boy knew from an early age that he was different._

_He felt it when he was still young enough to hide in his mother’s skirts, felt how he could feel her happiness and hear snatches of what she thought._

_Then he turned ten and he was taken away. That day had been terrible. He’d felt her pain the whole way to the space port. But once they’d blasted off, he’d lost that feeling and there had only been emptiness._

_When he arrived at the academy, a pitiless building of grey stone and regulations, he’d been confronted with so much. Boys and girls like him, all scared and sad and missing their mothers. Their feelings had bled through his consciousness until he’d felt like he couldn’t take it anymore. That night he began to build his wall. When he turned eleven, the wall was in place and holding strong. He had learned to very successfully block out the feelings and voices. It was also that year that the trials began. All the children at the Academy, girls and boys alike, underwent them. They were designed to make them strong, make them orderly and focused. It surprised the boy to find that he was good at the tests for mental acuity and strategy, even gifted his instructors said. They did not know that he was able to so accurately predict the outcomes of his exercises because he could see them in his head._

_It was such a natural ability that the boy grew to be able to use it to rise through his class until he was the highest scoring cadet they had ever had. His strange ability made him a fierce contestant in combat as well, fencing and hand to hand fighting bringing out the best in him as he effortlessly predicted and countered every blow his opponent attempted to strike._

_His natural ability should have made him well liked and respected by his fellow cadets. Instead they shunned him. It was bad enough that his father was the man in charge, the feared Commander who wielded his power like a finely honed rapier. It did not help that the boy was unusual to look at. He favoured his mother and her fine bone structure, pale freckled skin and flaming copper hair. The only thing he got from his father was his height and the eerily pale green eyes, like Mynerian jade, that seemed never to blink._

_The other cadets gave him a wide berth and whispered behind his back. In response to this, the boy developed a haughty exterior, an emotionless mask that hid his loneliness. He became cold and disconnected until one night a week after his fifteenth birthday when he heard a piteous sound in the hollow wall of his cell and followed the sound to find one of the native Arkennian rodents hiding in the drain in the floor. He wedged the grille open and took it out. It had obviously been attacked by something and its hind leg was broken._

_The boy held it in his hand and stared at it, feeling the fluttering heart beat and the tiny pulse of life. He’d forgotten what it was to care for another creature. His father showed him no favour. In fact he never acknowledged him publicly at all. The boy was unspeakably lonely, having no one but his own mind for company. The little creature in his hands woke up something that was from before, a light that he’d lost the day they’d taken him from his mother._

_He stroked its soft fur and laid it to sleep in a wooden box that he’d kept one of his strategy games in. He faked a sickness to get into the medical bay and stole supplies that he used on its leg. He smuggled food from dinner and in no time it was hopping around his room. At night, it settled in under his chin, the cold of the cell making it seek warmth. The boy couldn’t help it. He grew fond of the little rodent._

_It was a mistake._

_They found it, as they inevitably found all things that were considered against regulations. His punishment was mild compared to some, twenty strokes and he had to watch the watch leader crush his little rodent under her boot. She had stared at him, her blue eyes daring him to react. The boy had simply stared back, his pale green eyes empty of all emotion._

_It took six months, but one morning that watch leader was found dead in her bed, a pool of her blood leaching into her white blond hair and staining it almost the same colour as his own. No-one would figure out who had done it or how. The boy allowed himself a secret smile and took pride in the small act of ruthlessness. He had become cunning in his years at the Academy and no-one ever linked him to the girl’s death. She had been a particularly cruel cadet and no love was lost for her._

_At age seventeen he graduated from the Academy a year early with Honours and an ability to control his mind and abilities that would stand him in extremely good stead. He was drafted into the First Order command structure and rose swiftly through the ranks. He first encountered another like him when he was bought into the presence of the Supreme Leader. He’d long since discovered what he was, the gift he had. The irony that he would have been fighting on the opposite side had he been born in different circumstances was not lost on him._

_The presence he encountered that day, however, was like nothing he’d ever encountered. It was corrupt and cruel and he’d shied away from it, throwing all his power into the wall he’d perfected. It had surprised him when the Supreme Leader had not discovered what he was, in fact he seemed to be completely oblivious to it._

_From that moment on, he was very careful to not reveal himself._

_But then HE had come on board and it had all gone to shit._

*********

Hux later contemplated that if he’d had even the smallest amount of sleep before making Starkiller Base active, the outcome of things might well have been different. As it stood though, he hadn’t. And his visions only came when he slept now, the power inside him locked away from his conscious mind through years of discipline and self-control.

And now he was being forced to watch as six years of his life and the pinnacle of his work crumbled around him and all because that idiotic man-child had been so arrogant as to think that his little vendettas were more important than the future of the First Order. Not for the first time since Kylo Ren had gone off like a half-primed weapon, Hux wanted to kill something.

Or preferably someone. Someone tall, dark and moronic.

He was barely managing to hang onto his usual stone-faced composure and for a few seconds he envied Ren his freedom to simply do what he wanted, to needlessly destroy things in a fit of pique. After all, it wasn’t like it would be out of tune with what was happening around them right at that moment.

He made his way to the shuttle bay, ignoring the borderline chaos around him. Stormtroopers and officers alike stepped out of his way, none of them daring to confront him or demand to know where he was going. Snoke’s orders had been clear and he was going to carry them out unimpeded although, if Kylo Ren had been standing in front of him right at that moment, Hux would not have given him good odds on getting to the Supreme leader in one piece, Force-wielder or not. Hux would have hit him so hard that stupid helmet would have flown right off his immensely dense head. But to panic would not only make himself look like he was not in control of the situation, it might also make people ask questions. In truth there were only a few things that unsettled him. Chaos and failure were two of them and he was experiencing enough this day. So he kept his head up and walked like the first trooper to impede his movements would be executed.

It seemed to be working. The last thing he needed was to draw attention to himself and so reveal that he was a man with plans.

Hux was not a stupid man or a foolhardy one, and as much confidence as he’d had in Starkiller and his ability to carry out Snoke’s orders, Hux was also a master strategist. Possibly the best one the galaxy had ever seen. And a good tactician was never without a plan kept in reserve for when the unthinkable happened.

Like a force of exactly three people managing to bring down a weapon of such colossal power it had wiped out five planets.

Like a psychotic Knight of Ren no doubt being the reason they had been able to because he’d buggered off on his own to confront them.

That absolute bastard.

The blaring alarm continued to sound, the order to evacuate bringing all personnel to their ships. Hux kept his pace steady and unhurried, taking no more time than he usually would. He hoped to be one of the final people to leave. The fewer who witnessed his departure, the better.

He arrived at the shuttle bay and went immediately to his private transport. Unlike Ren’s rather showy craft which stood out for all the wrong reasons in Hux’s opinion, his was a standard shuttle on the outside. It was unmarked, nothing to indicate that it belonged to him at all. On the inside it was another matter though. It had modified engines and included a medical unit and small living quarters at the rear. Not only that, but these were hidden behind panels that made it seem as though there was nothing at the back of the ship. In concealed storage units, Hux had enough supplies and gear to keep him on the run for a few months at least. He’d also made sure the technicians that had worked on it were promoted to new posts, often very very far away on remote First Order outposts. Unlike Ren, he believed that appealing to a person’s greed was a far more effective method to get what he wanted. The people he’d selected to work for him had all wanted something and he’d given it to them. It was always so much easier to manipulate others when they thought they were the ones in control.

It also made them far easier to dispose of. And accidents on distant outposts were barely worth anyone’s while to investigate.

There were others who had not been as easy to dispose of. For them, Hux had had to do what he hated doing and dip into that part of himself that he kept so well hidden that even Snoke was unaware of it. His powers had wiped the memories from the minds of those who’d been too keen to hang onto what they’d seen or heard or done.

There were two troopers standing guard at his shuttle and they followed him aboard. Hux knew it would have looked extremely suspicious if he’d kept them off the ship and so he’d have to factor their disposal into his plans. He thought of Snoke’s instructions for him to bring him Kylo Ren in order that he might complete his training. The troopers went to the cockpit of the shuttle, engaging the engines and lifting off while Hux made himself comfortable in the back. He’d happily allowed the misguided notion that he was not able to pilot to flourish. He always preferred it when he was an unknown quantity. It amused him greatly to see how little people actually knew about what he was capable of. It was one of the reasons he held both Snoke and Ren in relative contempt. Neither of them, for all their power, had discovered what he was.

The shuttle flew out of the bay and Hux instructed the troopers to keep it low to the ground. He had a rough idea of where Ren was and it would be easier to find his bio-signal if they were at a low elevation. Behind them, Starkiller base was rapidly disintegrating.

It took less time than he anticipated for them to find Ren, and he instructed them to land the shuttle in a clearing close by to where the signal was coming from. Hux descended first with the troopers in tow, his blaster drawn in anticipation of anyone he might encounter. Or so he told the troopers and watched them take it at face value.

He moved through the trees and heard Ren before he saw him, a mess of blood and rage and screaming defiantly at the sky.

‘Take him to the shuttle.’ he ordered and the troopers moved to help the Knight.

‘Hux…’ Ren’s voice was weak. ‘I must…’

‘You must nothing.’ Hux snapped. ‘This is all your fault.’ He jerked his hand in the direction of the shuttle and followed as the troopers helped Ren to the craft and got him inside. He shut the hatch once he was aboard and took in the sight that lay before him. He could see that Ren was terribly injured, a gaping wound in his side and another that ran across his face. There were cauterised burns to his shoulder and thigh and his robes were smearing blood across the sleek surfaces of the shuttle’s seating area. Hux holstered his blaster.

‘Take us to the Finalizer.’ he said and the troopers moved back to their stations on the cockpit. Then he turned and started to assess Ren’s injuries. The worst by far was the injury to his side, the flesh torn and bleeding profusely. The others were in a far better state, having been cauterised and so sealed, although they were no less unsightly. Ren would have plenty of scars to testify to his folly.

‘You’re a mess.’ he said dispassionately. ‘Did you at least achieve your objective while you were destroying everything I have managed to build in the last six years?’ Ren huffed, a pained sound like an animal would make.

‘My objectives are of no concern of yours.’ he replied, still managing to retain the arrogance that so infuriated Hux in spite of the fact that he was barely holding his insides in. Hux straightened up.

‘You’re a fool, Ren.’ he said. ‘If it were up to me, I’d blow you out an airlock and be done with you. But Snoke has asked me to deliver you and deliver you I shall. However, I cannot do that if you are dead.’ He sighed heavily. ‘Give me a moment.’ Ren gave a weak laugh.

‘I have plenty of those I no longer have need for.’ he replied. ‘You can have them all.’

‘Stop being so melodramatic.’ Hux admonished. ‘You are no better than a child.’ He considered his options. Ren was injured but still conscious and he needed to put his plan into action sooner rather than later. He could sedate the Knight but there was a distinct possibility of Ren putting up a fight.

He made the decision and prayed it was the right one. Ren looked up at him when he removed his glove.

‘What are you doing?’ he asked, his voice rasping and suspicious.

‘Something I’ll no doubt regret.’ Hux said, placing his hand to Ren’s forehead and pushing gently with his mind. It was like pushing against the leg of an angry Rancor and expecting it to move. He did see how Ren’s brow wrinkled in confusion. It would have to be sharp and brutal, something Hux hadn’t done for years.

‘How are you…’ he started to ask and Hux let him have it. The mental blow was enough to break through the weakening control Ren had over himself and then Hux whispered one word to him.

Sleep.

The Knight’s dark eyes widened and for a second Hux thought he hadn’t done what was required. But then the suggestion took hold and Ren’s eyes slid shut. Hux allowed himself a small triumphant smile.

‘Trooper.’ he called to the front of the shuttle. ‘Lord Ren has fallen unconscious. I need your assistance.’ There was a noise as the trooper came through into the transport area and Hux waited for him to come and attempt to life Ren before he struck a blow that sent the trooper sprawling across the slumped figure. By the time the trooper regained his footing, Hus had drawn his blaster and calmly shot him in the chest, flash burning his heart. Then he walked directly through to the cockpit and did the same thing to the trooper who was piloting, holstering his blaster and setting the ship to automatic control before the trooper had even hit the ground.

He went back into the transport area, shoving the dead trooper off Ren before he lifted him up and onto his shoulder. He had also cultivated an aura of urbane weakness, and few had ever seen him train on the Finalizer, but he was strong. Certainly strong enough to bear the weight of the oaf lying across his back as he carried him to what seemed like a simple bulkhead at the back of the ship.

A press of a disguised panel opened the area at the back. The medical unit was simply a modified bunk that would keep Ren in a sterile environment long enough for Hux to get him somewhere he could be better treated for his injuries. He dumped the unconscious Knight on the bunk and moved to the storage locker alongside the bunk. He retrieved a bacta kit and used it to sluice the wound in Ren’s side after cutting away some of the damaged fabric, knowing he needed to get the bleeding under control and start the cell regeneration. He waited until the fluid ran clear, draining away at the sides of the bunk and indicating that healing had begun. Then he covered the wound in sterile artificial skin that would keep it clean and free from infection, the thick leathery surface it created making sure it would heal well. With that taken care of, Hux fixed the sedation mask in place over Ren’s face and sealed the medical unit.

There was a soft mew behind him and Hux’s features softened momentarily. He turned and observed how Millicent was watching him from her cage, also built into the bulkhead. He’d put her in there the previous night, hoping that he would not need to have to put his plan into practice, but having been proven wrong on that count. He slipped his fingers between the bars and she rubbed her head against them.

‘I am a fool and you are damned along with me.’ he said to her, scratching behind her ears. Millicent mewed again and then retreated to curl into a ball at the back, snug in her blankets. She was well used to being transported.

Hux sighed. She was the only thing of personal worth he’d bought with him and in truth she was the only thing of value that he owned. Everything else was replaceable. His eyes fell on the locked black strongbox that was stowed in the small area. He’d bought it himself from Ren’s rooms, having overridden the entrance code. He still wasn’t sure why he’d felt the need to bring the Knight’s belongings and abandon his own with the exception of his pet. Not that he thought of Millie as a pet. In his estimation she was better conversation than anyone else on the Finalizer and was most certainly more intelligent than the vast majority of his officers.

After making sure that Ren was secure and that his bio-signs were strong, Hux ventured back through the shuttle to the cockpit, grimacing at the dead troopers as he did so. He would have to jettison their bodies soon, but right at that moment his priority would be getting away undetected.

Snoke had instructed him to bring Ren to the Citadel. But while he had been doing so, Hux had caught just the tiniest glimpse of what that meant for him as well as Ren. He’d known his life would be more than likely forfeit when he arrived. At best he could expect incarceration, at worst execution. For Ren, Hux had seen madness and the destruction of any humanity that still lingered in his crazed mind.

It was not a future he was contemplating with any comfort.

Hux had a very finely tuned sense of order and discipline. He was usually one to make sure rules and orders were followed to the letter. However, he also had a very strong sense of self-preservation.

And if Snoke wanted him dead or enslaved, he would have to come get him.

Not only that, but Hux believed fervently in having the upper hand. That was why he needed a hostage, someone whose life he could bargain for his own.

And what better hostage than the Supreme Leader’s most esteemed apprentice?

He punched the co-ordinates of their destination into the ship’s computer and disabled the comms. Hopefully, it would be a while before anyone realised they were not where they were supposed to be. The ship picked up speed, her modified engines getting her ready to make the jump into hyperspace.

It would take some time to get where they were going, but Hux did not look back at the imploding planet and the life he was leaving behind. Instead he took the pilot’s seat and contemplated how he’d gotten to this point.

*********

_It had been hate at first sight._

_Hux had never wanted a co-commander. He was very happy with the status quo, the Finalizer all his to command and use as he saw fit. True, he took his commands from Snoke, but ultimately the decisions of how she would be manned and run on a day to day basis were his alone._

_Until they weren’t._

_Now he stood in the shuttle bay and watched as the sleek black craft that carried Snoke’s apprentice entered through the shield that maintained the artificial atmosphere and came to land, its wings folding up and coming to rest on its landing gear._

_There was silence as befitting the arrival of a high ranking visitor, and Hux stood waiting for his first glimpse of the Knight of Ren that was spoken about in hushed whispers as one of the most feared men in the galaxy. He personally had never put much faith in mysticism or the fading religion that the Old Republic had held to. His father had been of a similar mind, pointing the finger of blame for downfall of the Empire at Darth Vader and the weakness in the face of his son, a son that fought on the side of the Light._

_Hux truly could not understand such sentiment. He’d been raised largely by the rules and regulations fo the Academy. It had moulded him into the officer he was now, a brutally efficient leader that allowed nothing to disturb the perfect order he had crafted for himself and his singular vision of galactic domination._

_The shuttle hatch opened and the gathered troops stood to attention. There was a moment of perfect silence and then the Knight descended from his craft._

_Hux’s first thought was that he looked nowhere near as intimidating as Lord Vader had in the holofilms of the Empire that his father had stashed away and which Hux had watched with fascination since he had been old enough to understand what was in them. He could see that Kylo Ren had modelled himself on Vader, his ensemble a series of layers that bulked him out in a single shade of black. It was topped with a cowl and cape that covered his head, his face hidden by a helmet that showed nothing. He walked in long strides, the clunky boots he wore making his movements graceless and uncoordinated, almost like an overgrown child. It would not be the first time Hux made that comparison._

_Hux drew himself up to his full height as Ren approached him, glad to see that he and the Knight were of a height. He fixed him with the chilly glare that he reserved for people that had invoked his displeasure and prepared to issue the official welcome he had planned. He opened his mouth to say something suitably impressive and…_

_‘General Hux.’ The voice was mechanical, lifeless. For some unfathomable reason, it instantly irritated him. ‘I have no need for formalities. Simply direct me to my quarters.’_

_The one thing Hux disliked almost as much as a lack of order, were breaches of etiquette. And that Kylo Ren completely dismissing his carefully, and dare he say it, beautifully worded formal welcome was possibly the most breathtaking display of rudeness that Hux had ever encountered. It was so unexpected that he simply turned and snapped his fingers at Mitaka, who instantly sprang into action and ran forward to do as Ren had demanded._

_Hux watched the knight go, anger curling inside his chest. He was not a man given to impulse and he held it in tight, letting it steep and simmer just under his skin as he made himself a vow that he would do his utmost to keep._

_He would make the knight pay for his blatant disrespect._


	2. Outliers

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hux arrives at his destination.

The shuttle came out of hyperspace and Hux felt a flicker of relief. He knew that this was only the first step, but the fact that he had put a substantial distance between himself and the First Order was a good start.

The co-ordinates he’d punched into the ships navigation computer had been given to him a very long time ago. He’d been only a Lieutenant at the time and working on a star ship whose remit was to intercept and capture smugglers and pirates that ran the lucrative routes between the Outer and Mid Rims, using the minimal presence of the Republic and the First Order to run rampant.

They’d captured a freighter and the captain had been bought to him. For the first time in his life Hux had felt something that he’d recognised and it had frightened and intrigued him in equal measures. He’d had her taken to an interrogation chamber and then dismissed everyone and sealed the door behind him. The ensuing conversation had resulted in her being taken off the ship under the guise of being destined for termination. Instead he’d engineered an escape which had meant a severe reprimand and a blemish on his otherwise perfect record.

It had been worth it for the series of numbers he’d been given along with a promise that should he ever need help, he would be able to find it there. The planet below him look unprepossessing. It was large, about three times the size of Coruscant and so hostile in environment it made Tattooine look like a holiday resort.

He held the ship in orbit and sent out the coded message he’d been told to broadcast, then went to check on Ren. The knight was holding stable, his bio-signs not any better or any worse than they had been. Hux allowed himself a short moment to check the blaster wound in his side and was pleased to see no signs of infection. Then he closed the medical unit and went to the storage locker and opened it, taking out two ration packs. He popped the tabs on both, and thermic reaction heated them quickly. While he waited, Hux opened Millicent’s cage and let her out. She came happily, rubbing her head under his chin as he carried her to the table and set her down. She hunkered down and watched as he peeled the tops off the ration packs and pushed one across to her. She ate the meat portion daintily but ignored the vegetables, then lapped water from a bowl he’d poured for her. Hux watched her with an indulgent smile.

‘I wish I could take you with me, but there’s no telling what I’ll find out there.’ he said to her. ‘This may well turn out to be a wild goose chase and I don’t think the planetary environment is particularly suitable for felines of a domesticated variety.’

Millicent blinked slowly at him.

When he was finished eating Hux cleared the ration packs away and placed them in the incinerator. Then he walked back through the ship to the cockpit and looked at the planet below. He charted a trajectory and engaged the engines. There was a mew and he looked down to see Millicent inspecting the dead trooper. She was sniffing at his helmet and Hux tutted and reached down to scoop her up and hold her on his lap.

‘Look there, darling.’ he said to her and pointing to the planet. ‘There’s someone down there who’s going to help us. But I need you to stay with the ship and make sure that fool back there doesn’t wake up and destroy it. Can you do that for me?’ Millicent didn’t reply and Hux kissed the top of her head. ‘I shall assume your silence indicates acquiescence.’ He let her go and she leapt gracefully to the co-pilot’s chair.

The descent was easier than he anticipated. Sensors indicated a breathable atmosphere, although oxygen levels were a little on the low side. The light from the three suns at the centre of this solar system leached any colour out of the sky and made the ground below look white. Clouds of dust started kick up as the ship approached the ground and landed, the solidarity of the planet under the landing gear making Hux feel inordinately relieved. They had come to rest in what seemed like a vast salt plain.

So far so good. Now it was time to change character. It felt strange taking off the uniform he’d worn for so long, the four stripes indicating a life spent in service of others. But now it was time to go into service for himself. He retrieved the clothing he’d bought with him from a storage locker and started to get dressed.

Hux had no mirror here to check his appearance, although it would matter little to the people who inhabited this dustball of a planet. The clothing he’d brought with where the property of a terminated Corellian prisoner which had gone missing, not that anyone would have realised what he was up to. Hux was noting in not thorough. He had, however, laundered everything to the point of obsessiveness. The trousers were an unprepossessing shade of brown. The hide jacket, shirt and boots were black, the leather weathered and worn in places that made his fingers itch to polish them. The blaster belt and holster sat well, and he retained the butter soft gloves he wore as a matter of course on the Finalizer. The last thing he did was to wash the pomade out of his hair, his very soul rebelling at this final indignity. When he was done, Hux picked up the final touch. He wound the dense indigo fabric scarf around his neck and over his head and face before picking up the reflective goggles that would protect his eyes from the harsh environment. He secured Millicent in her cage once more, checking she had adequate supplies of kibble and water. Then he closed the panel to obscure the area once more and left the ship, blaster strapped to his hip and a pack on his back. The first step outside blasted him with heat and dried his still damp hair in no time at all. Hux was pleased that he’d worn the gloves and goggles. It was like he was shrivelling up. He checked the co-ordinates on his personal navigation system and started walking.

*********

Four standard hours later, Hux reached his destination. He stopped and re-checked the navigation system, but the read out insisted that he was in the correct place. The rendezvous point was what looked like a vaporator, but Hux could tell it hadn’t been functional in a very long time if the amount of oxidation was anything to go by. He stepped into the shadow it cast and prepared to wait.

He sat down, stretching out his legs and let out a deep breath. The past twenty-four hours felt completely unreal to him. If anyone had told him three days before that he would have taken the second in command to the Supreme Leader hostage, stolen his own shuttle and hightailed it to a planet so far removed in the Outer Rim people weren’t sure if there was a population, he would have laughed in their faces.

And Hux didn’t laugh.

He looked out over the bare white soil and watched how the horizon shimmered and changed as the heat rose from the baked ground. Then something caught his attention and Hux frowned as he tried to focus on it, not sure if what he was seeing was a mirage. He got to his feet and then he realised that the strange shape was in fact quite real and coming towards him.

When it got into view, Hux had to look twice so confirm what he was seeing. The animal the person rode was unlike anything he’d ever seen. It was a quadruped, coloured black on its back and stark white on its underbelly. It was as tall as a tauntaun, with a majestically arched neck and cloven hooves. Two long ridged horns swept from the crest of its head back and over the stiff upright mane. Its face was variegated, the white interspersing with the black and it had overlarge ears that stuck out to the side. It slowed and the person on its back tilted their head to look at Hux. Like him, they wore reflective goggles and a thick scarf, this time a rusty black. Their hide jacket was dark brown and worn over a long tunic of deep blue, also paled by the white dust as were the short slouchy boots of the same shade.

The person slid off the quadruped and Hux tensed, not sure of he should go for his weapon. He waited, barely breathing as his disquiet mounted. Then the person spoke.

‘Well well, general. I can’t say I was expecting you to call on me quite so soon.’ The voice was full of sardonic humour.

‘It wasn’t exactly how I expected to be spending the day after the most auspicious event in First order history.’ Hux replied.

‘Yes, I hear about your little genocidal fireworks display.’ the person said. ‘I am assuming from your arrival here that things did not go according to plan.’

‘You assume correctly.’ Hux replied. ‘It’s why I’m here, Kasha. You offered me assistance once in exchange for your life. I’m here to collect.’ The person huffed a laugh.

‘And a smuggler always pays her debts.’ She was looking intently at him. Hux could feel it even though he could not see her eyes. ‘Where is your ship?’

‘At the place you told me to land.’ Hux said. ‘Although I am not sure why you had me meet you here.’

‘Subterfuge General. It protects me as well as you. Now, it will be dark soon and the temperatures fall very suddenly. It be best not to caught in the open.’ Kasha moved towards her beast of burden. ‘Come. Ceran will carry us both easily.’ She mounted the animal and held out her hand. Hux looked at it and then at the animal disdainfully.

‘I will not ride that filthy creature.’ he said and she laughed.

‘You will if you wish to return to your ship. And Ceran is more than likely cleaner than what you will encounter at many later junctures. Now hurry up, I do not have all day.’ She gestured for him to come to her and Hus sighed heavily. He was not enamoured at what he was about to do. He adored Millicent partly because her habits were as clean as her own. Nevertheless he took the offered hand and tried not to gasp in surprise at the strength in her arm as she pulled him up behind her. He settled himself on the creature’s broad rump and then his hostess kicked Ceran in the sides, making him snort and break into a lope that ate up the ground. Hux held onto the person in front of him grimly, cursing the animal’s rocking gait and feeling more miserable than he ever thought he could.

It did however, prove to be far quicker than walking. They reached the ship in half the time and he could now see the need for haste. The suns were starting to dip towards the horizon and a bone deep chill had set in. The ship was a solid black shadow against the dying light and the person pulled Ceran to a halt and Hux slid off the back, his balls and back aching and a distinct feeling of unsteadiness in his legs. He moved to open the ship and Kasha followed him inside. Then he noticed that Ceran was following as well and turned to protest.

‘It’s not coming in here.’

‘He most certainly is.’ she said, her voice telling him she would brook no argument. ‘Or you can fly right off this world and go find someone else who will be stupid enough to assist you.’ There was a beat of silence, the stand off building between them until Hux caved.

‘Very well.’ he snapped. ‘But if it shits on the floor, you are cleaning it up.’

‘Of course General.’ The sarcasm in Kasha’s voice was noticeable. She waited until Ceran was standing in the transport room and then raised her hands. The goggle came off first, revealing a pair of eyes that were the exact shade of Corellian brandy, tiny reflective flecks like mica in their depths. The scarf was next and now Hux could see bright copper hair tied in a knot at the base of her neck and pale skin to rival his own. Their physical similarity had caused some comment when she’d been captured originally. That was as far as the resemblance went though. Kasha was shorter than he was and strongly built. ‘Now I suggest we head to our destination and then you can tell me about your escape.’

‘There is one other thing.’ Hux said. ‘I should probably tell you that I did not come alone.’ Kasha had tied Ceran to a support beam and was now walking towards the cockpit. She stopped dead and looked at him.

‘Who the kriff did you bring with you?’ she asked.

‘Insurance.’ Hux replied. ‘Extremely valuable insurance.’

‘By the three suns.’ Kasha shook her head. ‘Who?’ Her amber eyes bored into him.

‘Kylo Ren.’ Hux replied and she let out a harsh laugh with not an ounce of humour in it.

‘Of course.’ she said. ‘Snoke’s dog. Who else?’

‘And a cat.’ Hux added, deciding he might as well declare everything.

‘A cat?’ Kasha frowned. ‘Is this a getaway or a travelling circus, Hux?’

‘Millicent is my personal companion and she is hardly an animal.’ Hux said as haughtily as he could. He followed Kasha into the cockpit, noticing how she paid the dead trooper no attention other than to step over him before she sat down and started the ships engines. Hux came to sit beside her. It did not surprise him that she could pilot the shuttle, especially considering who she was. Kasha’s hands glided effortlessly over the controls and the ship took off, but she kept it low to the ground, punching in a new series of co-ordinates.

‘It will be better if we are out of view.’ she said. ‘Although I must ask, where is Kylo Ren?’

‘He is injured and in a medical unit in the back.’ Hux replied. ‘It’s one of the other reasons I came to you. I cannot aid him to the extent that he needs. I thought perhaps you would have resources I could make use of.’ Kasha chuckled.

‘I might.’ she said. It was almost completely dark now and she had the ship's landing lights on. The shuttle flew over the hard baked desert and Hux sat back and let her take control of the ship. He knew that deferral was necessary for what he needed, which was namely to get Ren into a condition where they would be able to travel far away enough that the First Order and Snoke would never find them.

They sat in silence as the terrain changed to rocky outcrops. Hux then noticed that Kasha was powering down the engines. He looked out the viewport at the front and saw a massive outcrop in front of them. She angled the ship down and for one crazy moment Hux thought they were about to fly into a sheer rock face, but then he saw at the last moment that there was an opening, a cave that they flew right into. There was a deep clanking sound and then the residual light began to fade behind them as massive blast doors started to close off the entrance. Kasha set the shuttle down next another craft and Hux waited until she had killed the engines before following her out the cockpit.

‘Where are we?’ he asked and she gave him a wolfish smile.

‘Somewhere the First Order and Snoke would be hard pressed to find you.’ she replied. ‘Now wait here. I will take Ceran out and then be back to help you with Ren.’

Hux did as instructed, hearing the metallic clip of the animal’s hooves as she led him out into the hangar of whatever they were in. He waited and saw her move off into the darkness, then got up and went into the back. He opened the panel and inspected Millicent. As usual she was sleeping and blinked blearily at him when he peered into her cage.

Ren was still unconscious.

Hux came back out and decided to go down to see where he’d ended up. When he entered the hangar, he could see it was built into the outcrop. He moved around the shuttle and sized up the other ship. It was a junker, cobbled together from salvaged parts by the look of things.

‘She’s a lot faster than she looks.’ He turned to see Kasha standing behind him. She had taken off her jacket and scarf and was standing looking at him thoughtfully. ‘Although your shuttle is more than meets the eye.’ She smiled. ‘How did you get those modifications past Requisitions. Did you mind trick them?’

‘Not at all.’ Hux replied a little sniffily. ‘I used bureaucracy.’ That made Kasha laugh, and this time it sounded real.

‘Of course you did, General.’ she said. ‘Now, shall we go and look at our other guest.’

They went back inside the ship and Hux saw that there was someone else inside, His hand went automatically to his blaster, but Kasha caught his wrist. The person was at the medical unit, which was now open. They were tall and slender and wrapped head to toe in deep blue robes. They turned and Hux saw blue skin and a smooth head. The person seemed to be female and had luminous purple eyes and delicate rose pink markings on their face.

‘Kashyenka.’ Her voice was lilting and soft. ‘We must get him inside. He is gravely injured.’

‘Agreed.’ Kasha said. ‘Hux this is Bhutara. She’s one of the native people of this planet and my good friend. She’ll help Ren.’ Hux relaxed and nodded.

‘I will transport him inside.’ Bhutara said. ‘You may go.’

‘Bring what you need to be comfortable. We have a place where you can clean up and sleep. It’s night now and I think your purposes will be better served in the morning. Bhutara doesn’t require much sleep. She’ll keep watch over him tonight.’ Kasha said. ‘Bring your animal.’ Hux retrieved Millicent, wrapping her in her blankets.

‘I have no personal effects.’ he said. ‘To bring anything would have looked suspicious.’

‘What about that?’ Kasha asked, looking at the strong box that belonged to the knight.

‘It’s Ren’s.’ Hux said. ‘I have no idea what it contains.’

‘And yet you thought it was important.’ Kasha said. ‘Why?’ Their eyes locked and Hux felt a touch, so soft as to almost be indiscernible. It was the thing that had surprised him when they’d met. It had been a year after he’d been allowed to be in an audience with Snoke and she was the second Force-sensitive he’d met. The difference between them had been remarkable though. Where Snoke’s power had been corrupt and ill, like the stench from a rotting corpse, Kasha’s had been completely different. Like him, she was adept at hiding it from others and it was only his familiarity with what the wall felt like that made him aware of it.

Not only that, but she’d felt it too. Her amber eyes had widened and then he’d heard her voice in his head.

_Let me go. I will be of far greater value to you alive than dead._

Hux had suddenly had a feeling so strong that he could not have ignored it. He trusted his intuitions implicitly and everything inside him had been screaming that he should release the smuggler.

Turned out that it had been the right decision.

‘I honestly do not know.’ he said. ‘I just knew I had to bring it.’

‘In that case I’ll get TT-12 to bring it in. He’s our droid.’ she said. Hux nodded and followed her out, Millicent cradled in his arms.

She led him across the hangar towards an open bay. The lighting came on as they entered it and went through another set of blast doors. There was staircase beyond and they ascended. The bulkheads looked like they were from a starship, and Hux’s curiosity was piqued. He kept his mouth shut though and when she led him to a door, he simply inclined his head.

‘You can sleep here.’ Kasha said. ‘In the morning we shall be having a very long talk.’ The corner of her mouth quirked.

_Goodnight, Hux._

‘Good night Kasha.’ he replied and she opened the door and ushered him inside. Hux went and the door slid closed behind him.

‘Lights up.’ he said and the room was illuminated. Hux saw a closed viewport and another door in the bulkhead next to it, presumably to a refresher. There was a made up bunk to his right and a table and chair to his left, all bolted to the bulkhead which furthered his suspicion that this was a salvaged starship he was currently standing in. There was a carafe of water and a glass on the table along with some vacuum sealed food. He noted the bowls of water and what appeared to be small dried fish that had been placed underneath it and felt a twinge at the knowledge that Kasha had probably known exactly who and what was coming.

He deposited Millicent on the bed and she mewed at him. Hux smiled at her and went to the refresher. It was a standard setup and he took a moment to relieve himself. When he came back out, Millicent had pulled her blankets into a nest and curled up inside them. Hux went to sit next to her, sinking his fingers into her fur.

‘What strange surroundings we find ourselves in, Millie.’ he said. Millicent purred under his hand and Hux felt the fatigue steal over him. He’d been awake now for more than forty-eight hours.

He got up and stripped off his boots and clothing then shifted Millicent down to the foot of the bunk. She grumbled a little but once he climbed into the bed in only his black briefs and vest, she left her nest an came up to curl next to him. Hux put his face in the back of her neck.

‘Lights down.’ he said and the room went black. Hux sighed as all the tension went out of him and he quickly fell asleep.

************

In another room several levels below, Kasha watched as Bhutara cut away the clothing from the unconscious form on the examination table. His boots, gloves and outer layers had already been removed.

‘How bad is he?’ she asked and Bhutara shrugged.

‘The wound in his side will take at least a few days.’ she said. ‘The injuries to his face and leg are less severe, but the shoulder worries me. There has been substantial damage to the joint.’ She looked at Kasha, her eyes serious. ‘But that’s not the only thing he suffers.’

‘No.’ Kasha said. ‘I feel the conflict raging inside him.’ She sighed.

‘You are thinking of your mother.’ Bhutara said. Kasha nodded.

‘She was conflicted like this her whole life and mine.’ she replied. ‘I am not convinced that it wasn’t what finally killed her.’ She looked down as Bhutara stripped away the torn clothing. Kylo Ren had the well-developed body of a man, and yet his face was strangely boyish and his skin had the pasty tone of someone who hid in the dark.

‘What of the one who is his Master?’ Bhutara asked. She had moved to the bacta tank and punched in a set of commands.

‘He does not worry me.’ Kasha said. ‘He is a corruption of what we stand for. He uses this one and others like him because he is unable to step into the light long enough to fight his own battles. He preys on weakness and pain.’ Her tone was disdainful. ‘My mother called him a charlatan.’

‘A powerful charlatan nonetheless. I am surprised you allowed Hux to bring him here.’ She looked at Kasha, who smiled. It was not a particularly kind one.

‘I have plans for both of them.’ she said. ‘Their usefulness to me will be far greater than mine to them.’

‘Very well.’ Bhutara said. ‘Now will you kindly assist me?’ Kasha nodded and raised one hand. She focused and the unconscious Ren levitated off the table. She moved him across to the bacta tank and lowered him in, stopping to allow Bhutara to secure the breathing mask. Then she lowered him the rest of the way and Bhutara sealed the lid of the tank.


	3. Hands Revealed

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Some things start to come to light.

Hux had no idea how long he’d been asleep, but he was woken by the sound of someone moving around his room. He bolted awake, sitting upright to see Bhutara standing over him, her purple eyes inscrutable even in the dull light. She had obviously put the lights up.

‘Good morning.’ she said, her low voice echoing in a strange way through the room. ‘I am glad to see you seem to have been well rested.’ Hux took a moment and then realised it was as she said.

‘I have. Thank you.’ he replied. He then saw that she had Millicent in her arms. Bhutara noticed the surprise on his face and smiled, stroking the cat’s fur.

‘Your companion is very amiable.’ she said and leaned down to rub her cheek against Millicent’s head. ‘She speaks most highly of you. Says you are an honourable man.’ Her eyes twinkled. ‘In your own way. She says that you have always gone out of your way to make sure her comfort is assured.’

‘Thank you.’ Hux said again, frowning. ‘You can communicate with her?’ Bhutara simply gave him a mysterious look and handed Millicent back to him. Hux took her, cuddling Millicent to his chest.

‘There will be breakfast for you when you come up to the galley level.’ Bhutara said. ‘You are most welcome to come and go as you please. It will be some days until your companion is sufficiently healed to travel.’ She started to move towards the door.

Of course. Ren.

‘How is he?’ he asked.

‘Much better now that he’s had thirty-six hours in the tank.’ Bhutara replied and that got Hux’s attention.

‘Thirty-six hours?’ he asked, aghast at his lapse.

‘Yes.’ she said. ‘He wasn’t the only one that needed to repair.’ She opened the door and stepped out into the darkened corridor and left him and Millicent alone. The door slid closed behind her and Hux fell back onto the bunk. Millicent moved to curl up on his chest, looking at him. Hux reached up and scratched behind her ears and she set up a deep steady purr that vibrated right through him.

He lay like that until sleep threatened to overwhelm him again and then decided to get up. Millicent curled up in the warm hollow left by his body and Hux left her there to go to the refresher. After tending to his immediate necessities, he went stripped and went to the shower. It was a water one he was delighted to see, and it ran extremely hot. He did wonder where they managed to find such a seemingly abundant supply of water on this harsh planet, but then abandoned that thought in favour of letting the heat drain the last of the tension out of him.

He switched to the dry cycle and then got out and walked back to retrieve his clothes. To his surprise he found that they had been picked up and folded and placed on the table. When he held them to his face, he could also tell they had been laundered. There were also clean undergarments and he wondered where they had come from, but he pulled them on nonetheless and then dressed. He strapped the holster down and secured his blaster then went to the door. To his surprise Millicent followed him. Hux was so used to her frequenting his quarters and showing no interest in the rest of the ship that he allowed her to come out and trot at his heels. He had no idea which way to go and the corridor outside his room stretched in both directions.

_Turn right and walk until you get to the stairs, then come up._

Kasha’s voice was an annoying presence in his brain. Hux hated it, that feeling of being intruded upon, and he had worked hard on building the wall in his head strong enough to keep other Force users out. It frustrated him enormously that the wall was no defence against her, however.

He followed Kasha’s directions and found the stairs. Millicent bounded up ahead of him and at the top Hux found himself in a large circular chamber seemingly hewn out of the outcrop. A massive floor to ceiling viewport took up most of the wall and Hux could see the desert stretching out before him. He went over and looked down, the light coming off the white sand almost blinding. The triple suns were only just over the horizon and the light already had its characteristic bleached out quality.

‘It’s a barren and inhospitable place.’ He turned and saw Kasha standing behind him. Her hair was down around her shoulders and held off her face with two clips of black metal. She was dressed differently from the day before, tight navy trousers and black boots and a loose gauzy shirt under a leather vest. Her blaster was at her hip but now there was another addition. Hux stared openly at it. The lightsabre was crafted from white metal and the hilt was bound in strips of worn dark brown leather with the ends trailing. Kasha saw him staring it at and unhitched it from her belt. She ignited it and Hux stared at the blade. It was unlike Ren’s, the blade as brilliantly golden as a solar flare. The characteristic hum made Hux flinch ever so slightly.

‘My mother spent her entire life battling her way between the Light and the Dark.’ Kasha said. ‘When she trained me, she told me that I was free to make my own choices. I decided to become a bit of both.’ She extinguished it and hooked it back onto her belt. ‘The man you bought with you is in the same state. He yearns to be subsumed into the Dark, but the Light is too strongly ingrained.’ She looked at Hux, her amber eyes thoughtful. ‘What do you plan to do with him once he’s healed?’

‘That is none of your concern.’ Hux said. ‘Rest assured that we will be not be staying in the vicinity for any length of time.’

‘He hasn’t completed his training.’ Kasha said. ‘Has he?’ Hux thought of Snoke’s words.

‘No. Snoke had asked me to bring him to the Citadel in order to do just that thing.’ he replied. ‘I would imagine he’s not best pleased with the way things have gone.’

‘Why is he so conflicted?’ Kasha asked. ‘I have never encountered anything like it since my mother.’ She gave Hux a shrewd look. ‘And we both know why she was the way she was.’

‘He’s the leader of the Knights of Ren.’ Hux said. ‘Snoke’s apprentice. I would imagine that would be enough.’

‘No.’ Kasha shook her head. ‘There’s something else. I could feel it when I was helping Bhutara with him. Something that’s so horrifying even to him that he’s burying it deep.’

‘I have no idea.’ Hux said. ‘But rest assured it shall not remain your problem for long.’ He looked down and noticed the Millicent was sitting next to him. ‘And why does your companion think she can talk to Millie?’

The abrupt change of subject brought Kasha up short. Then she huffed a laugh.

‘Because she can.’ she said and turned to walk over to the food preparation area at the side of the room. ‘In a manner of speaking. Bhutara’s species is extremely empathic to all living organisms. She’s extremely worried about your companion.’ She gestured to the table behind her. ‘Sit. I’ll get us some food.’

Hux went over to the table and watched as Kasha dished up something from a pot. It smelt surprisingly good, an earthy savoury smell. He watched her bring it over, two bowls of it and set them down. Hux saw a pale stew, thick with meat and vegetables he couldn’t identify. She returned for a plate of sliced fruit, bright pink and spicy on the outside and white on the inside. It smelt sweet and sharp and to Hux’s enormous embarrassment, his stomach growled loudly. But then he had been asleep for three cycles. Kasha served it with horn beakers of water, and Hux’s logical mind assumed that on this planet, water was probably considered quite luxurious. Then he remembered the shower and frowned. That couldn’t be it.

‘It’s not water.’ Kasha said and Hux looked at her.

‘I would appreciate it if you stayed out of my head.’ he said.

‘I don’t need to be in your head, Hux.’ Kasha ate a spoonful of the stew in her bowl. ‘You project. To be honest, I am appalled at the incompetence displayed by that so called Knight of Ren and his Supreme Leader.’ Her tone was mocking. ‘I made you the second I was bought into your presence.’

‘I don’t exactly class you in the same category as them.’ Hux said. ‘You are the daughter of The Hand. I would expect you to be a cut above. Even Vader wasn’t held in such regard.’ Kasha snorted a laugh.

‘I must confess that the fact that I am sitting in a facility that contains Vader’s grandson is something I am finding quite amusing.’ she said then looked at Hux. ‘Your father knew my mother I believe.’

‘Only by reputation.’ Hux sniffed delicately at a spoonful of stew and then ate it. He was astonished to find it excellent, rich and meaty and delicious. Certainly far better than the slop that was regularly dished up as rations aboard the Finalizer. ‘Mara Jade never visited the Academy to my knowledge.’ He looked at Kasha. ‘You were never sent there either.’

‘My education was more…unorthodox.’ Kasha said. ‘By the time I was old enough to train, she had lost much of her stomach for the ways of the Empire and those who kept it alive. She wouldn’t have approved of your First Order. She believed in freedom.’ Hux scoffed.

‘Freedom brings chaos and that gives people the right to act as they choose.’ he said. ‘The First Order holds to ideals that will bring peace and clarity to the galaxy.’

‘Ever the zealot.’ Kasha said. There was a wry smile on her face. ‘And yet here you are, sitting at my very table.’ She took a sip of the liquid in her cup. Hux watched her then did the same. She was right, it wasn’t water. He choked on the strong spirit and then started coughing frantically. Kasha watched him, clearly amused. She reached out and patted him on the back a few times. When Hux calmed down, she gave him a smile that contained too many teeth to be classed as friendly. ‘I thought zealots were committed enough to die for their cause.’

‘I would be if the responsibility for the colossal kriff-up that happened to Starkiller lay with myself.’ Hux was annoyed. He could feel he was red in the face. ‘Now would it be too much trouble to ask for something to drink that won’t actually kill me.’ Kasha leaned forward and he automatically sat back. She fixed him with a steely look, and then astonished him by bursting into laughter. She got up and came back with another cup and Hux was delighted to find this one did contain water.

‘So whose fault was it?’ she asked and Hux snorted derisively.

‘The idiot currently languishing in your med bay.’ he said. ‘He went off half-cocked to go and try and take on some mission of personal honour or whatever drives the man. And now the Supreme Leader wants my head. It took six years to build Starkiller and if Kylo Ren had done what he was ordered to I would not be sitting here.’ he said.

‘A bad workman blames his tools.’ Kasha regarded him over her cup. She sighed and put it down. ‘So what exactly will you require from me?’

‘Simply to heal Ren enough for us to depart.’ Hux said. ‘As I mentioned, I am keen to avoid any….entanglements that might bring us to the attention of Snoke and the First Order.’

‘Well, you came to the right place.’ Kasha said. ‘The Outer Rim is a good place to hide. It’s kept me safe since I was born. As far as most people are concerned, I am simply a smuggler.’

There was a noise behind them and they turned to see Bhutara walking in. Millicent, who had appropriated the chair next to Hux, made a trilling noise and jumped off the chair and ran to her, threading between her legs. Hux and Kasha watched this and Hux looked at Butara.

‘You have seduced my cat.’ he said. Bhutara gave him a serene smile ad bent down to pick Millicent up and cuddle her.

‘I thought you might like to know that Kylo Ren has regained consciousness.’ she said.

**********

Hux felt the agitation as soon as he entered the med bay. He wondered vaguely if it was because he’d started to lower his defences around Kasha.

Ren was still secured in the tank, and Hux could see that the injuries he’d sustained were far more extensive than he’d thought. The shoulder wound was ugly and stood out a livid red against his pale skin. The one on his thigh looked less severe as did the one on his face, but they would both disfigure him for life. The wound in his side was starting to knit together, but the tissue was delicate and transparent.

‘He was shot with an explosive charge.’ Bhutara said. ‘I would assume something more powerful than a blaster.’

‘It was a bowcaster.’ Kasha had her fingers to the tank. ‘He’s absolutely furious about it.’ She looked at Hux. ‘And you definitely don’t want to know the names he’s calling you right now.’

‘The bacta you applied was timely.’ Bhutara said. ‘It stopped any infection from taking hold.’ She glanced at Hux. ‘Where was he when you found him?’

Hux had a momentary flashback of Ren lying in the snow, stark shades of black, white and red. He’d felt the agitation then as well, had been unable to block it out.

‘Outside.’ he said. ‘It was cold.’

‘That no doubt also helped.’ Bhutara said. ‘He will bear the scars for life. I will not be able to erase them.’

‘I think he’d prefer if you wouldn’t. He idolises his grandfather and I think he’d probably think this would bring them closer.’ Hux said scornfully. In the tank, Ren glared at him. There was no mistaking the nature of the hand gesture he was currently giving Hux.

Hux looked at him and then walked over to the tank and squatted down so they were eye to eye.

‘You had to do it, didn’t you?’ he said, and all his anger started to pour out. ‘You had to go and kriff things up so badly that we’re now on the run.’ Behind him Kasha snorted with laughter.

‘He wants to know what you mean by ‘we’.’ She said and Hux turned back to look at Ren. The knight’s dark eyes were burning, the fury unmistakable even in the bacta tank. Hux gave him a humourless smile.

‘Yes, that.’ he replied. ‘You’re now my hostage Ren. My insurance in case anything or anyone should try and make me pay for your little adventure. You realise that the entire base imploded. My entire career up in literal smoke. And all because of you.’

He started as the equipment around them began to shake. It wasn’t violent, but it was enough to make Hux stumble to his feet. He could feel the power in it. In the tank, he would have sworn Ren was smiling but it was impossible to tell because of the mask.

‘Enough.’ Kasha said. She stepped forward and put her hand on the tank and Hux felt a surge in the power. Ren relaxed and his eyes fell closed. Kasha turned to Bhutara. ‘Increase his dosage. The last thing we need is him destroying the place.’ She gave Hux a look of mild disgust. ‘This is farcical. I have two Force users, one who’s so tightly wound he can barely access his power in all but the most limited ways and one who is practically overflowing but who has all the discipline of an ill-tempered child.’ She gestured for Hux to follow her. ‘It’s going to make what I have to do very difficult.’

‘And what would that be?’ Hux found himself asking.

‘Training you, of course.’ Kasha said. ‘Why else did you think I allowed you to come here?’

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yeah, so Mara Jade is one of my favourite characters and it looks like she's been completely written out of the new version of SW history, so I am putting her back in. In a manner of speaking. Kasha is her daughter and yes, she most definitely has her own agenda.


	4. They Come

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hux is let in on a little bit of the plan and Snoke makes his move.

‘That was not the agreement.’ Hux’s face was almost puce he was so angry as he glared at the landscape through the viewport in the living area. Kasha stood a few feet behind him and watched him with her eyebrow raised and a smirk on her face. Hux could see her face reflected in the transparisteel. The smile told him that she had him by the short hairs and that she knew it. 

‘You came to me, General.’ she said. ‘And I would be remiss if I did not see the advantageous nature of this particular situation.’ 

But…training?’ he spluttered as he turned to face her. ‘You do realise that I have spent a lifetime trying to ignore this….thing I have.’

‘It’s the Force, Hux.’ she said. ‘It’s powerful and mysterious and very damn useful.’ She shrugged. ‘Look, the idea is very simple. You decided that you were going to take the apprentice of a very powerful Force user hostage. Said hostage is also a Force user, more than likely a great deal more powerful than his master realises.’ She grinned. ‘Are you starting to see the potential for problems yet? And by problems I mean your untimely demise.’

‘I can handle it.’ Hux said, stubbornly folding his arms. ‘I don’t need your help to manage the situation.’ Kasha actually had the temerity to laugh at him for that and he grew even more outraged.

‘You poor misguided sod.’ she said. ‘The minute Ren gets out of that tank and is strong enough he’ll more than likely try to choke the life out of you. Keeping your abilities hidden from him is nothing like actually stopping him from hurting you.’ She held up both hands in a balancing gesture. ‘In order to counteract his power you need to develop your own. That way, if you come under attack you’ll be able to defend yourself.’ She made a weighing gesture. ‘Give up some control and let it out. Gain the power to hold your own against Kylo Ren.’ Her grin grew wider. ‘And don’t tell me you’ve never wanted to put him in his place.’

Hux considered this. It was true. He’d gritted his teeth in frustration at every thwarted plan, every destroyed bit of hardware. He’d dearly wanted, deep down in the most secret parts of himself, the chance to cut loose and maybe be the one dishing out the throttlings for a change. 

‘What exactly would it constitute?’ he asked. 

‘You having to trust me for one.’ Kasha said. 

‘That’s very unlikely to happen, you realise this.’ Hux said.

‘I do. But quite frankly you have no choice.’ she replied. ‘By now your absence will no doubt have been noticed. Snoke will have the other Knights looking for you. It’s easy enough to track a hyperspace signature, even across a distance as great as the one you travelled. It just takes a while. And when the Knights of Ren come for you, I wouldn’t give you an ice blossom’s chance out in the desert. They will kill you and take back Kylo Ren to Snoke. At least this way we can give them a good fight.’ 

‘We?’ Hux asked, all his suspicions coming out in his voice.

‘Yes. Believe me, you two are far more valuable than you realise.’ Kasha said. ‘We’re going to make history.’

‘And exactly just how are we going to do that?’ Hux demanded. 

‘That will be revealed when the other piece in our little game of dejarik is completely awake and fully functioning.’ Kasha said. ‘Until then we just have to stay alive and out of the hands of the First Order and the Rebellion. Now, I have things to do. You are welcome to avail yourself of any of our facilities here. Maybe catch up on your reading. I have a fine library.’ With that, she walked off, leaving him to stare out the window at the white expanse before him.

He clenched his hands in fists and swallowed the urge to scream.

*********

Kasha hummed to herself as she walked down the stairs.

She was extremely amused. Hux had no idea just how much power he was harbouring, but every time he got angry it came out. She’d seen the holovid of his speech, noticed how he’d enthralled those who listened to him. He was using the Force completely unconsciously, swaying the minds of those who stood in front of him. And he did it well. Training him was going to be a challenge that would no doubt be extremely entertaining as well as fulfilling. he was like an indignant kitten with all his military finery and authority stripped away. 

And yet, he’d had the courage to run in the face of overwhelming odds and that was something she could admire. Telling Snoke to kriff off and stealing his apprentice out from under his nose had taken something exceptional. She could definitely appreciate a man whose self-preservation equalled her own. At least she knew how to deal with that.

Dealing with the other one would be far trickier.

Kasha got to the lowest level, deep down in the outcrop and walked along the dimly lit corridor to the med bay. The doors lid open almost soundlessly and she entered. The only light was the illumination from the bacta tank and the low hum of the medical equipment was soothing. She walked over and let her fingers drift along the outside of the tank. Bhutara had dosed Kylo Ren up to the point where he would not wake up again until he’d completely healed. They had only needed him to regain consciousness to show that he could. Now, they could keep him sedated and not only for medical reasons.

Getting into his mind would be far easier with his defences down, like they were now.

Kasha had felt the power emanating from him earlier and it had impressed her. She had also felt the all-consuming anger, the petulance and the ego rampaging around in his mind. This young man in front of her was so very lost, floundering between the two opposing sides that were trying to pull him in both directions at once.

And underneath it all had been the pain. Such pain that it set her teeth on edge and her heart fill with sympathy. 

Kasha went to the examination table and retrieved the small flat pillow. She walked until she was standing in front of the tank and dropped it on the floor and then knelt down, settling into the position she’d been taught decades before. Mara had taught her to meditate, to calm the storms within herself and seek refuge in the Force. She’d also taught her daughter how to reach out and speak to her. Kasha had spent many a night in silent communion with her mother who was systems away. 

It was this skill she was now about to put to the test.

Kasha knew that she only had a small window. She needed to get inside Ren’s head and find out what was going on inside and also block any attempt by Snoke to communicate with him in turn. She was strong enough to make sure that the only ones who would be able to influence him would be herself and Hux. Not that Hux was aware that she’d be doing that. 

She’d felt it, the attraction under the hate. It was there in both of them, although they were both too tied up in themselves to notice. It had made the Force crackle and spark earlier when they had confronted each other. She smiled as she recalled the appalling names Ren had directed at Hux in his head and Hux’s icy disdain for the man who’d caused him nothing but grief in his estimation. 

She settled in, her breathing falling into the familiar pattern that accompanied her meditation and closed her eyes. She did this every day, and had done so for the past three decades. The room fell away and she reached out with her mind, focusing on the heartbeat of the man in the tank. It was string and even, the bacta having done the hardest art and stabilised his vital organs. She pictured a room, just enough light to see by. It was neither warm nor cool. Kasha took a deep breath and closed her eyes.

When she opened them, she was in that room. She was wearing her traditional smuggler’s garb, but now it was all black save the blood stripe on the trousers, a legacy from her Corellian father and the pillow she knelt upon was now a richly embroidered cushion. She unhitched the lightsabre from her belt and laid it on the smooth stone floor in front of her. Then she looked up at the figure in black who now knelt on an identical cushion not three feet from her. he looked up at her, his face pale in a cloud of dark, almost black, hair. Her first thought was that he looked like a child. His face was that of a man, and yet there was a youthfulness there that she could only account for by assuming that he’d never really had the chance to grow up, to grow into himself. Instead he’d been harnessed and yoked to a cause that he hadn’t been old enough to understand when he’d taken his lightsabre to a group of screaming children.

‘I’m not a child.’ His voice was sullen, the petulance a perfect conformation of the thing he’d just denied.

‘You are.’ she replied. ‘That’s why I’m here. I’m going to help you grow up a little bit, Ben.’

‘I’m not Ben.’ he said and she felt the anger ripple and shift. ‘Ben is dead.’

‘Kylo then.’ she replied. ‘Although you’re not him either. Not yet. That’s why Snoke wanted you to return.’ 

‘You know nothing of the Supreme Leader.’ he sneered and she noted how it made his face ugly. ‘His power will crush you when he comes for me.’ 

‘Are you sure about that?’ she asked and pushed, just a little bit. As she expected he threw up a defensive wall against her. It was crude, and there were cracks. She caught a glimpse of dark defiant eyes and felt a spirit that had such strength that it made her want to lift her head and laugh in delight. Kylo Ren hissed and put one hand to his head, seemingly in pain. Then he dropped it and she felt unbridled hate rolling off him in great waves. 

‘Who are you?’ he snarled and Kasha smiled at him.

‘She hurt you, didn’t she?’ she asked. ‘But more than that she humiliated you. She took the legacy you craved and made you look like a novice.’ She pushed harder and saw the girl’s face, a sweet thing with sadness and anger all mixed up together in her dark eyes. 

Then the attack came.

It was swift and hard, but it lacked the killer edge that Kasha herself wielded with all the skill she possessed when wielding her lightsabre. She deflected it easily and threw out one hand. Ren flew off the cushion, grabbing at his throat as she held him there in the air, his feet dangling a metre off the ground. He scrabbled at his throat and she tightened the grip she held in her mind watching impassively as he started to black out. Then she threw him across the room she’d created and he hit the wall that had suddenly materialised behind him. He fell to the ground slumped in a heap, groaning in pain. Kasha got to her feet and levitated her lightsabre into her hand, igniting it as she walked towards him. She saw Ren lift his head, and now the arrogance was tinged with fear. He stared up at her, then looked at the lightsabre, its golden glow making everything around them glimmer. 

‘Who are you?’ he asked again, only this time it was choked out as he struggled to regain his breath. 

Kasha bought the lightsabre down until it was but an inch from his throat.

‘My name is Kasha Jade and I am the daughter of the Emperor’s Hand.’ she said. Then she extinguished the glowing blade and knelt down next to him. She reached out and watched how he flinched when she moved to touch his face. She persisted and he seemed to almost cave in on himself, shaking under her hand when she pushed the heavy dark hair from his face and took his chin in her hand, tilting his face so he was looking at her. ‘I am also the one who’s going to release you from this nightmare you carry with you.’

‘How?’ Ren’s voice was shaking as badly as he was. 

‘I’m going to break you down and build you back up again, Kylo.’ she said. ‘I am going to teach you the real nature of the Force and how to break Snoke’s hold on you forever.’ He frowned and then backed up from her, his back against the wall.

‘You’re lying.’ he snarled, his lips drawing back from his teeth like a wounded animal. ‘This is a test. He did this to test me, to see if I am faithful.’ 

Kasha sighed. She could feel him shutting down as fear, pain and anger took over once again, his defences sliding back into place. She let him go and the light around them faded until she opened her eyes and found herself back in the med bay. In the tank, Kylo Ren slept on.

‘He’s strong and stubborn.’ Kasha turned and saw Bhutara standing behind her. ‘But that was a promising start.’ 

‘Only you would call it that.’ she said. Bhutara smiled and walked over to her. She held out one slender hand and Kasha took it and allowed her to pull her to her feet. ‘Why do I feel like I have let myself in for a world of trouble?’ 

‘Well there’s more to come.’ Bhutara’s smile held a trace of mischief. ‘Markuz is on his way here.’ 

‘Wonderful.’ Kasha said and sighed. ‘As usual my husband demonstrates the worst possible timing.’ She followed Bhutara from the room. 

Inside the tank, Ren slept on.

***********

On the other side of the galaxy seven figures stood in readiness for their orders, looking up. The robed figure that towered over them waved a hand and a star map flared to life in the dead air. 

‘I want Kylo Ren returned unharmed.’ Snoke’s voice was like the sound of dead dried things being crushed underfoot. 

‘And the General?’ The foremost of the figures asked, the voice modulator making it impossible to determine who the speaker might be.

‘Kill him.’ said Snoke.


	5. Meet The Family

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hux finds out that he may have been better off sticking with Snoke.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So I may have a thing for ensemble casts...
> 
> And crack...

Hux stood in the room which Bhutara had taken him to. It was above the living area by his reckoning and the single viewport had the same vista.

Kasha had not been lying when she’d said she had a fine library.

Hux had vague recollections of enjoying reading as a child. There were still some bright memories tucked far back in his consciousness of sitting on his mother’s lap while she first read to him and then he read back to her. He did know that he had had many happy hours running around the overlarge room that had been the Hux family library, the extensive space given over to actual printed books a show of wealth and extravagance. He’d tried to keep hold of that when he’d been sent to the academy, lying in bed at night and crying himself silently to sleep and missing how she would read to him to keep the nightmares away. He’d always been a sensitive over-imaginative child, the power inside him bringing dreams that frightened and enchanted in equal measures. His father had found the small cache of books he’d bought with him and dismissed it as a frivolous childish notion. An officer would have no time for reading, unless it was mission reports or debriefings.

He’d burnt them all in front of Hux and then had him strapped for crying. He never hit him himself, always getting the Watch Cadet to do it.

When was the last time he’d picked up something to read for pleasure? Hux was sure he couldn’t even remember. All he’d read since that night were historical missives on the glory of the Empire, technical weapons manuals, star chart after star chart. And then when he’d arrived on The Finalizer it had been a never ending stream of reports and costings and all the administration a ship of that size had entailed.

He trailed his fingers along the spines of the books in front of them. The leather was soft and he stopped when he got to a volume that he recognised. It was an account of the Battles of Coruscant in the Seventh Age. He’d enjoyed it when he’d been allowed to read it at the Academy. There was another book next to it, and he frowned as he looked at it. The title said that is was about the native flora and fauna of a planet named Janus III. He was about to take it from the shelf, when he felt the old guilt at reading something that wasn’t authorised come back and he took the volume he’d originally been going to take.

There was a comfortable chair, positioned so it was in a spot of sun near the viewpoint. It was still very bright but Bhutara had shown him how to adjust the tint of the viewpoint to cut the glare. For somewhere built on a planet that seemed to be as desolate as it was possible to be, and from what seemed to be scavenged star ship parts, it was surprisingly comfortable.

He sat, finding it strange to be sitting on a chair made for comfort instead of purely for function. Everything on the Finalizer had been made of sharp edges and Hux had frequently had bruises, his pale skin marking almost instantly. It was one of the reasons he had dressed the way he had, the high collars and greatcoat cast so effortlessly around his shoulder masking his physique and making him into something impregnable.

His armour.

And now, like so much else, he’d never put it on again. That thought made him feel strangely distraught.

Hux was not given to sentimentality. In a different time he would have been a vastly different man, but he’d been schooled in the ways of stoicism and indifference. He hadn’t cried when he’d be bought into his father’s office and told of her death. In fact he’d shown no emotion at all. But now, he felt like he was gradually growing weaker, his iron clad control slipping away from him slowly but surely.

He started in alarm as a warm weight landed in his lap and looked down to see Millicent curling up. Hux sank his fingers into the fur at the back of her neck and she started purring.

At least this one thing was still the same.

*********

Kasha and Bhutara walked up from the med bay and came out in the hangar. The blast doors were opening and a ship flew in and landed gracefully. It was a Corellian freighter, the rear part of its hull having the distinctive circular shape and twin gun ports that all Corellian freighters had. They watched the rear hatch open and waited. Three humanoid figures came down the ramp, followed by another that was definitely not human.

Kasha smiled and crouched to the ground and it padded across the floor to her on soft paws armed with claws that could shred a man’s face off in a matter of seconds if it so chose. She waited, hearing the deep rumbling purr that came as the sand panther reached her and rubbed its head against hers.

‘Hello D’jell.’ she said and cupped the animal’s massive head in her hands. The panther’s deep yellow eyes gave her quick scrutiny and then she left Kasha to greet Bhutara. Kasha got to her feet and looked at the other three figures. One was Twi’Lek, her husband’s co-pilot and best friend Mosh Kree. He was tall even for a Twi’Lek, his skin a deep rich blue and his pale eyes stood out, as did his broad smile. Unusually for a Twi’Lek as well, he had four lekku instead of two that he let fall down his back, held back by the traditional leather headdress. Behind him was their tech droid, KRL-7TB, or Karl as they called him. His was similar in appearance to a protocol unit, but bigger and more robustly built. His surface covering had originally been black, but he was now so scratched and dented that he was a mixture of black and his duristeel colouring underneath.

But it was the final figure that made her breathing catch, even after all the years. Markuz Corvis, the man she’d married when she was only twenty-three. A Corellian by birth and a scoundrel and a smuggler, just like her father. She really should have known better.

‘Kasha.’ Mosh greeted her warmly, almost bending double to embrace her. Kasha returned it and then stood back from him.

‘You look well, my friend.’ she said and Mosh smiled.

‘I shouldn’t be considering what he’s been getting me into.’ he said. Then he spotted Bhutara and his smile shone like starlight. Bhutara gave him a delighted smile.

‘Mosh.’ she said simply and he went to her hands outstretched. Kasha watched them with a smile of her own. Mosh and Bhutara were a bonded pair, although their relationship was a chaste one. Mosh took her hands and looked her up and down.

‘Still so beautiful.’ he said and Bhutara led him away.

‘Now why can’t I ever get a greeting like that?’ The voice was deep and smooth like fine aged brandy. It was the kind of voice that could and had convinced her into the worst sort of things. She turned around and looked into a pair of black eyes that twinkled with all the charm he could muster.

‘Hello Mark.’ she said.

Markuz Corvis was a few years older than herself, broad in the body and smile. His dark brown skin was unusual for a Corellian, and his close cropped black hair was starting to be sprinkled with silver. He was dressed in Corellian garb, long boots and blood stripe trousers and a heavy leather jacket that looked like it had been chewed up and spat out by a Rancor. He took her face in his hands and kissed her, making her toes curl just like they had the first time he’d done that.

‘Hello you gorgeous thing.’ he replied and she rolled her eyes. ‘Your father sends his greetings.’ Kasha sighed.

‘Does he now?’ she replied. ‘And where is my father exactly?’

‘On his way to see the Rebel Alliance.’ Corviz said. ‘He’s been summoned.’

‘That doesn’t surprise me.’ Kasha said. ‘Although he’s a little old to be a spy now.’ She sighed. ‘I’m glad you didn’t bring him with you. It would be difficult to explain who I am currently harbouring in my home.’ Corviz looked at her, one eyebrow raised.

‘I had my suspiciouns.’ he said. ‘They are out for blood.’

‘Who, the First Order or the New Republic?’ Kasha said and Markuz grinned.

‘Try everyone.’ he said.

**********

Hux was now lost in a world of unusual animals and plants after abandoning military history in favour of frivolity.

He turned the pages slowly, admiring the intricately hand coloured plates and scratched Millicent behind the ears with the other hand. The warmth from the sun coming through the adjusted tint was just enough to make him feel something he could honestly say he hadn’t felt in two decades.

Hux felt happy.

It was short-lived though. He felt the odd sensation that he had come to realise was Kasha’s presence moving up the stairs towards him. Then he heard footsteps and realised that she was not alone.

The man who came in the door was tall, black and dressed like a Corellian. Kasha was next to him, and she moved forward. Hux felt a surge of reassurance coming from her, and it irritated him that he responded to it.

‘Hux.’ she said. ‘This is Markuz Corvis, my husband.'

That made Hux blink is surprise. But then he reasoned that it probably wasn’t unheard of for smugglers to marry. After all Han Solo had, and to one of the galaxy’s most high profile people. He closed the book, and stood up, placing it and Millicent carefully aside before he walked forward. He tugged at the hem of his jacket out of habit then held out one hand rather stiffly.

Corvis looked at him, his eyes so dark they looked black. It was a shrewd gaze, and Hux could tell he was being measured. Part of him railed against that, sneering at the thought that the smuggler even thought himself worthy of judging him. Nevertheless, Corvis took his hand and Hux found himself on the end of a surprisingly forthright handshake for a smuggler.

‘So this is the Starkiller.’ he said and the words were sharp edged. ‘Do you have any idea how much bounty is currently riding on your head, General?’

‘Enough to buy a small planet, I’d expect.’ Hux sniffed and then was astonished when the smuggler burst into laughter. It was loud and ribald and startled him into taking a step back. Corvis turned back to Kasha.

‘You didn’t say he was funny.’ he said.

‘That’s because he isn’t.’ Kasha replied. ‘I think the General had his sense of humour surgically removed.’ She was regarding them with amusement on her face.

‘I am quite impressed now that we’ve met.’ Corvis said to Hux. ‘You’re just a man after all. Your reputation makes you out to be a bit more than that, considering you wiped out five planets.’

‘Not personally.’ Hux said. ‘Someone else pushed the button.’ He stared in alarm as the smuggler got an odd look on his face then started laughing again. He shook his head at Hux.

‘I think I’m going to like having you around, General.’ he said.

‘I wish you wouldn’t call me that.’ Hux said, glaring slightly at Kasha. ‘I am no longer a general. Hux will suffice.’

‘Sure thing, General.’ Corvis laughed. He looked at Kasha. ‘So what are we planning to do with him?’

‘Not sure yet.’ Kasha said. ‘Keep them here until the other one is fit to travel. Then we need a plan.’

‘No problem.’ Corvis said. He moved and stared behind Hux. ‘Is that a cat?’

‘This is Millicent.’ Hux said. Corvis looked at Kasha.

‘This is going to be interesting.’ he said.

‘Is she around?’ Kasha asked. ‘It may be best to make the introductions in supervised conditions.’ Corvis nodded and put his fingers to his lips and gave a shrill whistle. Hux looked to Kasha for an explanation.

‘You may want to hold Millicent for this.’ she said and Hux frowned. He went to the chair and scooped Millicent into his arms, cradling her with one arm under her tail and one hand at the back of her neck.

Then he heard the purring. It sounded like what might happen if he held Millicent up to the Finalizer’s loud hailing system. Whatever was producing it must be big. Millicent twisted in his arms, showing every sign of interest in what was approaching.

The creature that came in the room was waist high and sleek. Its coat was sand coloured and the tufted ears flicked back and forth. It had golden eyes lined in black that watched him with obvious hostility.

Until it saw Millicent.

The purring stepped up and it came towards him. Hux instinctively cuddled Millicent closer, turning away in a gesture of protection. The feline came right up to him and Hux glared at it, but it only had eyes for Millicent. It sat on its haunches and made a strange trilling noise. Hux gave Kasha a furious look.

_Get it away._

He hadn’t meant to say it like that. Kasha’s eyebrows went up.

_D’jell won’t hurt Millicent. She just wants to say hello._

Their eyes met and Kasha nodded. Hux bit his lip, still not convinced. He reached out tentatively and he could feel she was telling the truth. He slowly turned back around and lowered Millicent just enough that the creature could sniff her. To his surprise Millicent leaned down until her little pink nose bumped into the large black one of D’jell. They sniffed each other tentatively and then Millicent trilled back. Hux looked up at Kasha and saw her smile.

_See? Friends._

**********

‘This is the other one?’ Markuz asked and Kasha nodded. They were now all standing in the med bay looking at the unconscious form of Kylo Ren languishing in the bacta tank.

Hux looked down the line of faces and resisted the urge to scream.

He was stuck with a combination Jedi/Sith with a superiority complex, a smuggler who thought he was being deliberately amusing, a Twi’Lek the approximate size of a Wookiee, a mech droid called Karl and Bhutara the cat seducer, who was now cuddling Millicent again.

All because of the kriffing piece of bantha shit in the bacta tank.

Hux lost it.

One could only be the voice of self-control for so long. He let out a blood curdling yell and tried to single-handedly punch a hole in the side of the tank.

Eventually Mosh had to pick him up and carry him out bodily.

Kasha and Corvis watched him go.

‘What the kriff have you done, larla?’ Corvis said.

‘You think he’s bad, wait until that one wakes up.’ Kasha said and jerked her thumb at the tank.


	6. Family Connections

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Things start to reveal themselves.

Hux spent the rest of what was left of the day hiding in the room that he’d been given, retreating in the face of the newcomers. He had been invite to eat with them, but they were so loud and so disorderly that it was like an assault on his psyche. Instead, he had taken another book from Kasha’s library and gone back down and was now sitting at the table that he’d dragged in front of the viewport, the tint set to fifty percent. Millicent had followed and was now lying on the bed sleeping in a shaft of light the viewport let in.

He sat and contemplated the brilliant white sands in front of him and let his mind work, analysing everything that had happened thus far and trying to work out the best way to extricate himself and Ren once the blasted idiot woke up and was able to move. He was now starting to have serious regrets about reaching out to the smuggler the way he had, but then he had been desperate and not exactly thinking straight at the time.

The thing she’d said about training had rattled him far more than he’d anticipated. Hux knew that being Force-sensitive was a highly regarded ability in some parts of the galaxy but certainly not as far as he was concerned. He had no interest in being trained or in even letting out the thing inside him.

_It’s too late._ Kasha’s voice sounded smug. _You are already starting to change. You know this as well as I do. You can feel it._

‘GET OUT!’ Hux yelled and threw up his walls as hard as he could. He could just hear her chuckling before he got control of himself again.

The worst part was that she was right. Ever since he’d landed on the damn planet, Hux had felt like everything was starting to be chipped away. He’d successfully managed to keep Snoke and Ren out of his head and hide his abilities from them for the past six years, but here it was like he had no say in it at all. He remembered what she had said about being on the receiving end of their ire as Snoke would no doubt throw everything he had, every resource he possessed, at tracking down Hux and retrieving Ren from his clutches.

He’d never met the other Knights of Ren. They were a shadowy collection, sinister shapes that moved in the shadows Snoke cast across the galaxy. Hux didn’t even know what they did day to day in their service of the Supreme Leader, other than kill. He knew that there were half-whispered rumours about Ren keeping the ashes of his enemies in his room, that he mediated in front of his grandfather’s charred helmet. There were even rumours that the helmet still had Darth Vader’s mangled skull inside. They were not to trifled with and if they were after him…

There was a beep and he looked up to see that there was a flashing green light indicating the presence of someone outside his door. Hux sighed heavily and got up, walking across the room to open it. It was Bhutara. She was carrying a tray with a covered plate on it and a horn cup.

‘You’re hungry.’ she said and stepped past him before Hux could rebuff her. It was true, he was hungry and had secretly lamented that he’d turned down the invitation to go and eat. Still, he had his pride to think of. What was left of it, that was.

  
‘And I suppose you’re adept at reading minds as well.’ He snapped and Bhutara gave him a serene smile.

‘I feel most things, that’s true.’ she said. ‘I can feel that you’re hungry but that you’re too proud to show any kind of weakness. You feel you’ve already shown too much by coming here.’ She set the tray down on the table and reached out to pick up the book. It was another nature study, this time on the wildlife of Corellia. Hux had thought that forewarned was forearmed. ‘It is rather strange.’

‘What is?’ Hux folded his arms and glowered at her.

‘You are such a contradiction.’ Bhutara said. ‘You wipe out an entire system with the carelessness of a child spilling a glass of water and yet your companion tells me that you are kind and loving towards her.’ Hux glanced at Millicent who was now sitting like a statue and watching them intently. ‘You are man who has overseen death and bloodshed on a galactic scale and yet you thought to bring your cat instead of leaving her behind. You even saved the person you claim to despise above all others.’

‘Oh, that is not a claim.’ he replied. ‘I do despise him above all others.The only reason I saved him was to use him to save myself if I need to. Snoke will bargain for his life.’

‘Truly.’ Bhutara sounded faintly amused and it annoyed Hux intensely. It was like the whole damn infernal pack of them were all in on a joke at his expense. ‘That is the only reason you pulled him out of the snow at great personal danger of being caught and brought him with you, risking your life and his in the process?’

‘What other reason could there be?’ he asked, perplexed.

‘None, I’m sure.’ Bhutara said. She folded her hands and inclined her head. ‘If you would like to join us later, you would be welcome.’

‘Even though I am a mass murderer?’ Hux couldn’t keep the bitterness out of his voice.

‘We’re all murderers here.’ Bhutara said. ‘Whether it is one life or five billion, we are all equally condemned by our actions. Just as we could all be equally redeemed by them.’

‘I think you’re selling the wrong philosophy here.’ Hux said, his voice icy, although he was now somewaht intrigued as to what she'd meant by 'We're all murderers.'. ‘I have no need for redemption. I would go back and do it again. I believe in the ideals of the First Order.’

‘For now.’ Bhutara said evenly. She walked past him to the door. ‘You may not be so quick to believe in the days to come.’ She opened the door and glided out before Hux could ask her what she meant by that.

He went to the table and sat down. He uncovered the plate and smelt the aroma of well cooked meat and vegetables. It made his mouth water, which was in itself surprising yet again. On the Finalizer the food had been poor, but he’d also treated eating as a purely biological function. He had no vices to speak of, his entire existence consisting of a regimen of structured activity and mandated rest. There had been avenues to things – alcohol, tobacco, stimulants and even physical pleasures. The officers were certainly not above fraternising with one another. He had never partaken, usually because his time had mostly been taken up with…

Hux stopped with his fork halfway to his mouth.

No. She was wrong.

And yet…

It was true that Ren rankled him in the worst possible way. The man was a walking disaster area, destroying equipment and terrorising offers and troopers alike. Hux had been obsessed with keeping track of him and how much damage he caused and left in his wake as he progressed through the ship.

There had been something in the way Bhutara had spoken though that set his analytical mind ticking. Had he seen something else in Ren, besides just a great lump of barely tolerable anti-social mania?

The idea was so laughable to him that he actually did start laughing. It bordered on hysterical but it was a laugh nonetheless.

Hux couldn’t actually remember the last time he’d physically laughed. He put his fork down and sat back in his chair, spinning to look at Millicent who was now grooming herself meticulously.

‘I am going mad.’ he said to her. ‘It’s been less than a week and I am actually going mad.’ Millicent stopped licking her paw and mewed at him. Hux sighed and started eating.

If he was going to go mad he might as be well fed while doing so.

*********

‘The seed has been planted.’ Bhutara’s announcement made Kasha look up from where she was sitting next to the bacta tank. She had her back to it this time. Behind her Kylo Ren bobbed peacefully in his confinement.

‘What seed?’ she asked and Bhutara looked smug. ‘What are you up to?’

‘Nothing.’ she replied and came to sit down next to Kasha. ‘How is he today?’

‘Sleeping.’ Kasha replied. ‘He felt a little cranky earlier.’

‘Isn’t it odd though?’ Bhutara was smiling. ‘You’ve never wanted an apprentice. And now you seem to be lumbered with two of them.’

‘They are far too old to be classed as apprentices and anyway that’s a notion for the Jedi and Sith to play with.’ Kasha said. ‘I won’t be reposnsible for them, just try to help them on their way so to speak.’

‘Nonsense.’ Bhutara said. ‘I can feel your protective streak kicking in as we speak. And you do so love a lost cause.’

‘That’s why she married me.’ They looked at the door and saw Corvis standing there, grinning at them. ‘Although I do worry how safe this is.’

‘It’s not safe in the slightest.’ Kasha said. ‘Which is why as soon as this one’s ready to be moved, we’ll be headed elsewhere. You will take the others and go call the bands together and I’ll head to my mother’s house and start their training.’ She reached behind her and let her fingers drift lightly over the tank. ‘I have a lot to do and little time to do it.’

‘Your father sent a coded transmission to the Outpost on Janus.’ Corvis said. ‘He’s meeting with Organa and the Council.’

‘Hopefully he will be able to throw them off the scent.’ Kasha said. ‘He always was a good liar.’

‘And his daughter seems to have inherited that particular quality.’ Corvis was smiling broadly, his teeth a startling contrast with the gloomy light. ‘This little coup you’re planning will be quite something if you can pull it off.’

‘For years the Republic treated the Outer Rim like it was their own personal toy to plunder and abuse at will with their strip mining contracts and their resource retrieval programmes.’ Kasha retorted. ‘The Empire was certainly no better. How many Stormtroopers were taken from its planets and subsumed? How many children have been stolen? And it’s not like the Rebellion has been any help. We are simply too large and too insignificant in their eyes to worry about, not when there are Core planets under threat. They will take us as spies and pilots and soldiers, but there has never been justice and freedom in this part of the galaxy.’ Her eyes grew fiery, like they were glowing from the inside and Corvis raised an eyebrow at her fervour.

‘You accuse Hux of being a zealot and yet sometimes I see that in you.’ he said. ‘The Outer Rim has never been able to govern itself simply because all the factions have been at each other’s throats for decades, even centuries.’

‘That’s why we need figureheads.’ Kasha said. ‘That’s why we need someone to lead us.’

‘It could be you.’ Corvis said and she shook her head.

‘I am not a leader, Mark. I have never been very good at that. I cannot follow either.’ Then she smiled and it was as sharp as a sand panther’s claws. ‘But I can guide and I can advise. And that way we can have what we need in the Outer Rim, people who will make sure we don’t get taken advantage of and who will be willing to take what is our due, by force if necessary.’ She looked at him steadily. ‘It’s time there was third party to balance things out.’

‘So you’ve picked a megalomaniac who is rumoured to collect the skulls of his enemies and a psychopath with enough Force in his little finger to crush ships?’ Corvis asked. ‘I love you to the ends of the system, but I do worry about your logic sometimes.’ Kasha chuckled.

‘Go away, Mark.’ she said. ‘I’m working.’ Corvis shook his head and left the med bay muttering.

‘You will try again?’ Bhutara said.

‘I tried to give us a neutral space to meet last time.’ Kasha said. ‘It didn’t work. Snoke’s hold is too strong, even in there. This time I will be trying a different tack.’

‘Is that wise?’ Bhutara looked a little worried. ‘Letting him in your head?’

‘It’s safe space.’ Kasha replied. ‘I’m inviting him into a place where Snoke can’t get to him.’

‘Are you sure?’ Bhutara said, her voice full of concern.

‘The Supreme Leader tried to recruit me once.’ Kasha said. ‘I burnt the inside of his mind until he was screaming for me to leave him.’ She chuckled again. ‘Mara taught me that one. She was a bitch when crossed. He was always afraid of her.’

‘Have you ever wondered what would have happened if you’d turned to the Light?’ Bhutara said. ‘The potential you may have had.’

‘I am too bad to be good, Bhutara.’ Kasha said. ‘Besides, celibacy really doesn’t suit me.’

‘That may be.’ Bhutara got up. ‘But you never followed the way of the Sith either.’

‘Yeah, that’s actually a real pity.’ Kasha said. ‘I look wonderful in black.’ Bhutara laughed.

‘Be careful my friend. Letting the darkness in is not always something you are able to contain.’ Bhutara said and left the room, the door sliding closed behind her.

Kasha leaned back against the tank and closed her eyes.

********

Kylo Ren lay sleeping. He was warm and surprisingly comfortable and his mind was strangely quiet. It had been a very long time since he’d felt like this. The last time he could recall, he was still a child and his mother still had the time to put him to bed.

Something brushed his mind and he was startled. He lashed out with his mind, and felt the presence recoil. Then he waited for the inevitable punishment, the strike that used to have him sobbing in fear and pain when he was a child. He’d learned quickly not to fight it, but just to relent and let it in. In time he’d come to even welcome it’s presence as it had told him all the things he’d longed to hear.

The anticipated retribution never came.

That puzzled him and worried him. It had been a while since he’d felt the controlling presence in his head, the voice of his Master that whispered to him even as he slept and Kylo was more unsettled than he’d been in a while. The sedatives in his bloodstream made him groggy, but he had regained consciousness enough to see that traitor looking at him through the walls of the tank.

Kylo vaguely remembered railing at Hux in his head. He’d gotten to enraged at one point that he’d actually started to move things, but then it had been like a warm blanket had been thrown over him and he’d settled right back down into sleep once more. The same warm blanket had kept him like that since, muting the red scratching in his head.

_Kylo._

The voice was faint, barely a whisper. Kylo focused on it as best he could. He had a recollection of someone, a flash of gold and a feeling of the Force being wielded against him in a way no-one had before. He felt himself becoming overwhelmed with curiosity.

There was a light ahead, a misty opalescent light. Kylo looked around and found himself standing. He was in his robes, but he was missing his helmet. There was a wash of air across his bare skin, a smell of greenery and cold. It reminded him of the snow on Starkiller, the tall trees.

HER.

Anger flooded him and he rebelled against the vision. Darkness started to cloud in on him, blocking out the misty light.

_No. Come out and see. This is not that place._

The voice was soft but insistent and Kylo resisted for a moment. He wanted to distrust, to lash out but there was also the feeling that he wanted to know who was behind that voice.

  
_Come and find out._

He moved, his feet leaden. It felt like he was pushing his way through carbonite, not air. The light shifted as he made a colossal effort and threw out a hand, driving the darkness away until he could step through and out into the light.  
He found himself on a slope. It led down the side of a rocky outcrop to an oce meadow, littered with stands of trees. For a moment Kylo thought he was back on Starkiller but then he noticed that this place was empty of everything save a mammoth structure of stone. It was a ziggurat, its walls constructed of black stone and it stood out star against the sky which was the same milky opalescent white as the light had been.

‘What is this place?’ he asked and he felt a presence next to him.

‘It’s where my mother trained me.’ The woman next to him spoke, but he did not look at her. ‘It’s where I will train you.’

Kylo turned and looked at her, memory flooding back as he recognised the woman from his vision. The one who’d held him and thrown him like a rag doll. The one who was strong, maybe even as strong as his uncle.

‘Oh, I don’t know about that.’ the woman said and smiled. ‘Luke Skywalker is a powerful Jedi.’ She looked at Kylo and he noticed her strange eyes, a deep amber that seemed almost iridescent. ‘You are strong too.’

Kylo looked her up and down. She was extremely short, in fact he seemed to tower over her. She was dressed like a Corellian smuggler, black blood stripe trousers tucked into long black flight boots, a dark green shirt and a worn brown leather jacket over it with the distinctive ribbing at the shoulders. Her bright copper hair was tied in a loose knot at the base of her skull. Kylo’s gaze, however, was drawn to the lightsabre at her waist. It was a design he hadn’t seen before. It looked like simplified version of his grandfather’s saber, the hilt wrapped in strips of worn brown leather for grip.

‘You are Corellian?’ he asked.

‘Half.’ she replied. ‘Like you. My father is Corellian.’

‘My father is dead.’ Kylo replied, his voice curt. The words made him feel discomforted.

‘I know.’ she said. ‘I felt the pain at his passing. Your mother’s grief was great, as was your uncle’s.’

Kylo wanted to bristle at this, but he heard no condemnation in her voice.

‘Who are you?’ he asked and a smile flickered at the corners of her mouth.

‘I told you already. My name is Kasha Jade. My mother was Mara Jade, the Hand of Emperor Palpatine.’ She looked at him. ‘Hux bought you here to my home so that we could help heal you and give you sanctuary.’

The mention of Hux’s name made Kylo furious.

‘That traitorous bastard.’ he hissed. ‘He’s going to pay for what he’s done.’

‘That traitorous bastard saved your life.’ Kasha said. ‘He’s responsible for you still being alive. As for making him pay, well, you can do that when you wake up. Until then, you need to regain your strength and not just physically.’

‘And when I have, I am going to cut his head off and take it back to my Master.’ Kylo sneered. 'See how he likes it.' Kasha laughed and he felt stung at her complete lack of fear of him.

‘You really are such a child in so many ways.’ she said. ‘You certainly will not cut his head off. Not after all the trouble I am going to go through to keep you both alive.’

‘You will die along with him then.’ Kylo said. ‘The Knights are coming. The Supreme Leader will be sending them to find me.’

‘Oh, of that I have no doubt.’ Kasha said. ‘But I have something they don’t.’

‘And what would that be?’ Kylo looked at her.

‘I know every backwater and smuggler’s den in the Outer Rim.’ Kasha said. ‘I am also strong enough to keep you neutered and Snoke out of your head. And once I have trained Hux, he will help me keep you in line.’ She laughed aloud at the look of complete shock on Kylo’s face. ‘Oh, yes. The good General has been hiding the fact that he’s a Force-sensitive for quite some time. I find it quite surprising that you never detected it. You or your Supreme Leader.’ There was a distinct note of contempt in her voice when she said that. ‘The funny thing is he’s actually quite strong. Doesn’t have a clue what to do with it, but he will be very useful once we unlock his mind.’

‘This cannot be.’ Kylo hissed. ‘I would have known.’

‘Maybe you should have spent more time looking at the people you were working with and not just down on them.’ Kasha said. ‘You may have learned a few things about them that would have come in useful.’ Then to Kylo’s complete surprise, the amber eyes grew amused and started to sparkle. ‘You may have even learned some things about yourself.’

Kylo wanted to ask what the kriff she meant by that but then it was like the lights had suddenly been turned off and they found themselves in darkness. Kasha looked up and around them. There was a heavy ominous feel in the very air.

‘Time for you to go back to sleep.’ she said. ‘Snoke’s looking for you.’

Kylo opened his mouth to say something, anything, but she reached up and he felt the gentle brush of her fingers against his cheek and he fell into blackness.

********

On the other side of the galaxy, a ship landed and the engines whined as they cooled. The landing pad was empty save for a lone figure, silhouetted against the landing lights.

The man that finally descended was rangy and as weathered as the ship he had come in. His black and white flight suit looked like it was from a bygone era. His hair was steel grey and his dark brown eyes were bright, the shrewdness in them impossible to miss.

He walked across the landing pad to the woman standing waiting for him. When he got to her he inclined his head.

‘General Organa.’ he said. ‘It is good to see you.’

Leia nodded to him in turn. She looked at him, this man who had been a spy for the Rebellion for so many years she’d actually lost count.

‘Welcome BoShek.’ she said. ‘I am glad you could come to see me. I need your help.’

‘Really?’ BoShek looked at her intently. ‘And just what is it that you need me to do?’

‘I need you to help me find my son.’ Leia replied.


	7. Choices Pt I

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Some unwelcome visitors arrive...

Hux had been determined to stay in his room, but as the evening progressed heard the others going back and forth and the sounds of heavy objects being hauled around the corridors intrigued him. Eventually he stuck his head out of his door. The sun had gone down about an hour earlier and so there was nothing left to look at and he’d finished the book he’d taken and he couldn’t just sit and listen to something going on without being involved in it. His almost obsessive need for control and activity was screaming at him to go and do something.

He looked around and saw Mosh Kree coming towards him, hauling a trunk in his arms that looked to weigh a ton. The Twi’Lek’s massive biceps bulged and Hux drew himself up as much as he could and gave him his best look of authority.  
‘General.’ Kree said, grinning broadly. ‘You getting bored sitting in there sulking all by yourself?’

‘Not at all.’ Hux retorted, going stiff. He attempted to look down his nose at Kree, but it was extremely difficult when the person you were supposed to be patronising was a good head taller than you were. ‘I was simply wondering what all the commotion was.’

‘Getting ready to move house.’ Kree said and carried on walking. Hux watched him go, an unpleasant feeling starting to bubble in his stomach. The words ‘ _move house_ ’ did not bode well at all.

He left the room and headed straight up, going to the library. The corridors were lit with dim light and he passed rooms that had had their doors previously closed but which now stood open and empty of any contents. Hux didn’t stop to look and it was only once he charged through the door to confront a very surprised looking Corvis and a less surprised looking Kasha, that he suddenly realised he’d known exactly where to find her.

‘Yes?’ she said and he frowned.

‘Kree said we are leaving.’ he said. Kasha nodded and continued packing the shelf of books into a metal cargo crate.

‘We need to get off this planet.’ she said. ‘It’s been a few days now. It’s only a matter of time before the Knights of Ren find us and try to take Kylo back.’ She straightened up. ‘We will leave tomorrow at first light. I want you to go and get Kylo’s trunk from the med bay and put it on the freighter.’ Hux opened his mouth, about to rather crossly say that he didn’t take orders when she looked at him and he saw a tiny flicker in her amber eyes. He shut his mouth abruptly and then Corvis roared with laughter and slapped him on the shoulder, unnecessarily hard in Hux’s view.

‘No arguing with her, General.’ he said. ‘Come, I’ll give you a hand.’

‘Go and get the clothes I put out and take them with you.’ Kasha said. ‘Kylo is going to need something to wear when he wakes up.’

‘Of course, larla.’ Corvis said. He gripped Hux’s shoulder in a hand that was almost a paw and steered him out the room. Hux found himself being towed along and cast a brief look back over his shoulder.

‘Where exactly are we going?’ he asked and Corvis grinned.

‘The House of Jade.’ he said.

‘It sounds like a brothel.’ Hux replied haughtily.

‘It’s where she’s going to kick your ass and get you into shape.’ Corvis said. ‘She has plans for you General.’

‘Yes, so I’m starting to realise.’ Hux muttered. They had come down the final staircase and entered the corridor where the med bay was when he made a connection. ‘If she wants me to put Ren’s things in the ship then…’

‘You’re leaving the shuttle.’ Corvis said. ‘That thing is way too distinctive. It’ll stand out like a Twi’lek at a Corellian farm dance.’ That made Hux rather uncomfortable.

‘But what if I wish to leave?’ he asked and Corvis barked a laugh.

‘Not your choice anymore, General.’ he said. ‘You’re stuck with us now. Or more accurately, Kasha has decided she’s keeping you. And Ren.’

He led Hux up and down a level until they got to a bed chamber. Hux stood fidgeting in the doorway as Corvis went in and picked up a pile of clothes that lay on the bed.

‘You have clothes to spare lying around?’ Hux asked.

‘We have a lot of things lying around. People come and go and sometimes they leave things behind.’ Corvis replied. ‘They’ll do until we can get to a proper commerce planet and get you two kitted out.’

They went back into the passage and walked back, retracing their steps to the staircase and going down into the outcrop. When they got to their destination, Corvis hit the door control of the med bay and they walked in. Ren was still unconscious. Hux gave him a discreet once over, while Corvis added the pile to what remained of Ren’s clothing. Bhutara had laundered his trousers and his boots were untouched, but his undershirt and tunic had been beyond repair. Hux hadn’t actually thought to bring Ren anything to wear and he noted the dark burgundy shirt in the Corellian style and the worn leather jacket that had come from stars knew where. It had originally been black, but it was worn grey in places and Hux noticed what looked suspiciously like old bloodstains on it. There was a belt and holster and Hux wondered of Ren would actually take up a blaster. After all he had no weapon since he’d left that damned lightsabre had been left behind in the snow when he’d gone to get Ren. Not entirely on purpose, he had to admit.

Hux turned back to the tank. It was so odd to see Snoke’s apprentice like he was now, a pale figure in only his black briefs floating suspended in the blue tinged liquid. His dark hair was a nimbus around his head, partially obscuring the breathing mask, but as Hux approached he could see that the injuries to his body were largely healed. The scars were livid, standing out from the skin and an angry dark pink, but all the tears were sealed. The bowcaster injury to his side was now also completely closed and the tissue wasn’t paper thin as it had been the day before. It now looked dense and healthy.

‘He heals fast.’ Corvis commented. ‘Quicker than I expected him to.’

‘He’s a contrary bastard, that’s why.’ Hux found himself answering. ‘If you tell him the sky is blue, he’ll argue it’s green just to spite you.’

‘Sounds like you tow have quite the tempestuous relationship.’ Corvis said. He had located the crate and gestured for Hux to go over and help him. Hux went, frowning.

‘We have no relationship.’ he said. ‘Other than him breaking my ship and me having to get it repaired.’

‘You both worked for Snoke.’ Corvis said. ‘You must have had to communicate using actual words on occasion.’

The made Hux think. Most of their communications could probably classed as either barely veiled insults or the two of them trying to show the other one up in front of Snoke. He suddenly realised he actually knew nothing about Ren that was personal. They had never spoken of anything other than Snoke’s orders or Ren’s destruction of the ship or his interactions with the troopers. And that had been mostly Hux giving him a dressing down and Ren being sullen behind his mask.  
‘Not really.’ he said. ‘I can honestly say that we’ve never actually had a conversation.’ He helped Corvis haul the trunk off the floor and place it on the medical trolley he had wheeled over.

‘And yet you worked together for years, presumably.’ Corvis asked.

‘Six.’ Hux said.

Six years. Six years of his life that were now nothing but fire and ashes.

‘Interesting.’ Corvis said. He started to wheel the trolley out of the med bay. Hux lingered a moment and then walked over to the bacta tank.

This time he really looked at Kylo Ren.

Although they were almost the same height, Ren was so much broader in the shoulder. It had always angered him, that ability Ren had to so imposing simply by merit of his shape. Hux was defined under his clothes, but his strength was of the wiry variety and not bulked like Ren’s. Part of him couldn’t help but noticed that Ren’s body was not unattractive, even with the scarring. He was strongly built, a testament to the hours he spent training when he wasn’t annoying the people on the bridge. Hux had never been privy to what exactly Ren had done in those sessions. Ren had simply disabled every surveillance device in the training room he used, usually by rather theatrically using the Force to compact it into a small ball of mangled and twisted metal and components.

As if he could sense Hux’s scrutiny, Ren moved in his tank. Hux too an abrupt step back but then relaxed as he realised that Ren was still asleep. The movement though cause his hair to ripple away from his face and Hux got a good look at the new scar. It would be sizeable, running from the bottom left hand side of his face and across the bridge of his nose. Hus peered at the skin, then noticed the scattering of tiny dark marks across Ren’s face. It was an odd face, somehow disproportionate and almost as if Ren hadn’t quite been put together correctly. But like this in repose, it was not unpleasant. It was almost appealing in fact.

Hux was well aware of his preferences. Unlike the stories that claimed he was wedded to his job and the Finalizer, Hus had been quite active in his Academy days and while he was rising through the ranks. It was only when he’d gotten to the rank of General and taken control of the Finalizer that he’d stopped spending time on that part of his life. Still, he was far from virginal and now as he looked at Ren he could feel something. It was only a tiny flicker, but he stamped it out viciously.

No, that wouldn’t do at all.

*********

Bhutara came past the library. Kasha was just finishing putting the last of the books in the crate and closed the lid, locking it down. KRL was standing next to her and he lifted the crate as if it was nothing and carried it out.  
‘Have you packed everything you wish to take?’ she asked and Bhutara nodded.

‘Mosh has already moved my things aboard. I don’t have much as you know.’ she replied. ‘I am just going to release Ceren now.’ Kasha nodded.

‘Good.’ she said. ‘Then I think we are more or less prepared. There is nothing else I particularly need to take with.’

‘You will take your ship?’ Bhutara asked and Kasha nodded again.

‘It would probably be a good idea.’ she said. ‘In fact I am going to need to check her systems so I’ll come down with you.’

They left the room and walked along to the flight of stairs, Kasha mentally checking things off as they passed rooms. The majority of space was given over to storage of ship components and she had already packed a single bag that she had asked Corvis to stow aboard her modified Phantom. His personal things were permanently aboard, what with him spending far more time on his beloved ship than he did on solid ground.

They ran into him and Hux coming into the hangar from the lower level. Kasha looked at the former First Order Officer. He looked like any smuggler now in the clothes he’d bought with, the dark blue scarf still wound around his neck and the hide jacket making him look vaguely Corellian even if his high colouring and fine bone structure marked him as definitely not. Not only that but the lack of pomade made his fine hair flop in his green eyes and he had grown a fine shade of red gold stubble. He was as far from the buttoned up General as he could possibly be in appearance, even if he still moved like he had a stick up his backside. They were wheeling the med bay trolley, Kylo’s trunk on the lower rung and a pile of other gear on top.

This was pretty much the last of it and the storage compartments of the Kyarī would be full. They had enough food and gear stowed on board to keep them in space for as long as they needed. The journey to the planet her mother had made her home on would take quite a while and they could planet hop as they needed and pick up anything they still required.

‘Give us a hand?’ Corvis called and she turned to Bhutara. Bhutara smiled and waved her off, heading to where Ceran was kept stabled. Kasha went over and followed Corvis and Hux to the freighter.

The _Kyarī_ was a YT2000, an unusual freighter design that had seen only a limited run before the Empire had put paid to its production. Corvis preferred it, had bought this one off a spice hauler who’d sadly abused her. He’d treated it like their child, putting credits and countless hours of man time into her. Now he had a redoubtable ship that was fast, incredibly agile and heavily armoured with a system and controls that were so temperamental that only he and Mosh could fly her. She had been the closest thing Kasha had had to a marital home.

They ascended in the cargo lift which bought them up into the ship between the cargo holds which were now full of gear. Corvis pushed the trolley towards the aft one where KRL was busy working and Kasha regarded Hux, seeing how he was looking around the ship with interest.

‘Have you ever been on a freighter?’ she asked.

‘No.’ he replied. ‘Although I am vaguely familiar with the design.’

‘Come.’ she said. ‘I’ll give you the tour.’ She led him towards the front of the ship past the second cargo hold. They went through a corridor lined with crew compartment doors and came into the cockpit module, the comms terminals and systems terminals lining the bulkheads and then into the terminal end, the viewport looking out over the hangar. There were was room for four, two places on a raised dais behind the pilot and co-pilot’s seats. Kasha went down and sat in the pilot’s chair. Hux followed, not quite sure of what to do. He sat down in the co-pilot’s seat and looked at her expectantly. Kasha looked out into the hangar with a faraway look in her eyes.

‘Tomorrow we will be travelling through the Outer Rim.’ she said. ‘We will go to my mother’s sanctuary, a place that she never showed to anyone. When I was fifteen she took me there for the first time and trained me to be what I am today.’ She turned to look at Hux. ‘This is your last chance General. We will leave tomorrow, and when we do you will be on the path of no return. If you decide to come with us, I will train you to the best of my ability. I will teach you to be what I am.’

‘And what is that exactly?’ Hux asked. Kasha smiled.

‘Have you ever heard of a man called Jolee Bindo?’ she asked and Hux frowned.

‘I am not familiar with that name.’ he said.

‘He was Jedi.’ Kasha said. ‘A very long time ago in the days of the Old Republic.’

‘And what does he have to do with me?’ Hux asked.

‘He fell in love with a woman.’ Kasha said. ‘She was Force sensitive and he married her and trained her in direct contravention of the Jedi Code. She fell to the Dark Side, became a Sith and killed many of his fellow Jedi. He was put on trial by the Order and in their compassion they released and exonerated him of any wrongdoing. He put himself into self-imposed exile and eventually he found his way to the Outer Rim. He became a smuggler and lived out the rest of days on Kashyyyk of all places.’

‘This is all fascinating, but I fail to see the point.’ Hux said, feeling a little exasperated. ‘A history lesson hardly seems the best use of my time right at this moment.’

‘It will.’ Kasha said. ‘Have you ever heard of the Gray Jedi?’

‘I wasn’t aware they came in different colours.’ Hux said and there was a snort of laughter from the hatch. Hux turned and saw Corvis standing there.

‘See? Funny.’ he said to no-one in particular and walked off. Kasha sighed.

‘The Grey Jedi were a group of Jedi that did not walk the way of the Light.’ She said. ‘Bindo is largely considered to be the founder of our Order.’

‘I wasn’t aware you had an Order.’ Hux said. He felt even more confused now than when they had started the conversation.

‘It’s not one that has seen the light of day in a very long time.’ she said. ‘There are those of us though who have learned the ways of the Force, that of both Light and Dark. There are some of us who have been here in the Outer Rim for longer than history remembers. The Voss Mystics were one such group. But our numbers have dwindled until there are very few of us left.’ She leaned back, one booted foot on the control board. ‘We have learned to wield the powers of Light and Dark, but we do not side with either. We work outside the codes of both the Jedi and the Sith and we bow to no master.’ Her voice grew steely. ‘We value our freedom General Hux. But just because we work outside the regulations the Republic and the First Order would impose on us, does not mean we do not wish for peace and justice and what is our due.’ She smiled. ‘That is where you are going to come in. You are a leader, you can inspire others to something that will have the potential for greatness.’

Hux stared at her. He was astonished if he was being honest. He had not anticipated something like this.

‘I am not sure what you want of me?’ he said. Then he noticed that Kasha was not listening to him. Instead her amber eyes were focused on something in the hangar. Hux followed her gaze but all he could see was the darkness through the open blast doors. ‘What is it?’ Kasha held up her hand, silencing him. Her whole demeanour was now one of alertness. Hux watched as she stood and turned.

‘Mark!’ she shouted. ‘MARK!’ There was the sound of footsteps and Corvis appeared at the hatch.

‘What?’ he asked and Hux saw the same alertness reflected in his face.

‘They’re here.’ Kasha said and her voice was flat. ‘Get everyone on board. Now!’ She started to move towards the hatch and Hux got up to follow her.

‘No!’ she said. ‘You stay here.’

‘Like hell I will!’ Hux replied. ‘Millicent is still in there.’ Kasha’s eyes went wide for a moment. She looked at Corvis and he nodded.

‘I’ll get the ship started.’ he said, moving down to take his place at the controls. ‘How far away are they?’

‘Minutes.’ Kasha said. ‘We will have to fight.’ She looked at the blaster Hux had strapped to his thigh. ‘I sincerely hope you were taught how to use that in your Academy.’

‘I was.’ Hux said, feeling the first cold fingers of dread creeping up his spine. ‘The Knights are coming, aren’t they?’ He looked at her. ‘Can you feel them?’ Kasha nodded.

‘And we have precious little time to deal with them.’ She was moving now and Hux ran to keep up with her. They headed for the loading ramp and as they were coming down, Mosh Kree was coming up. He looked at them, his face stern.  
‘I can hear engines.’ he said and Kasha nodded towards the cockpit.

‘I’ll send Bhutara to you.’ she said. ‘We need to go as soon as possible.’ Kree nodded and disappeared inside the ship. Hux followed Kasha and they ran across the hangar to the open blast doors. He stared into the darkness but couldn’t see anything. Then he noticed a figure scrambling up the rocky outcrop towards them. It was Bhutara and she was out of breath.

‘There are lights.’ she panted and Kasha waved her in.

‘Get on the ship.’ she said.

‘What about you?’ Bhutara asked.

‘I need to get Kylo.’ Kasha said.

‘And Millicent.’ Hux added. ‘I didn’t drag her halfway across the galaxy to leave her behind.’

‘Have no fear of that.’ Bhutara said and pointed. They both turned and saw the D’Jell was running across the hangar. Hux’s eyebrows almost flew off his head when he realised that she was carrying Millicent with her, holding her by the scruff of the neck as is she was D'Jell's cub.

‘Check, one cat.’ Kasha said to Hux. She shoved him towards Bhutara. ‘Now go get on that kriffing ship!’ He looked at her and she reached out, her hand going to his face for just a moment. Hux blinked in surprise. He’d not felt a touch of that kind in what seemed like forever.

What was even stranger, was the effect the touch had. Hux felt like a door was opening in his mind.

‘Time to choose, General.’ Kasha said. ‘You still have time to get on your shuttle and leave this place.’ Hux looked at her. He felt stranger than he ever had, like this was a crossroads that he knew he could never turn back from. The inevitability of the moment was almost overwhelming.

‘Oh, kriffing hell!’ he swore and turned to run after D’Jell. Bhutara looked at Kasha.

‘Looks like he’s made his decision.’ she said.

‘Let’s hope none of us live to regret it.’ Kasha said. ‘Now go.’

‘You’ll be all right?’ Bhutara’s face was a picture of worry.

‘There’s only seven of them.’ Kasha was grinning. ‘And none of them are Force Sensitive. I’ll be fine.’

Bhutara nodded and ran towards the _Kyarī_. Kasha turned back and looked into the night. She could see it now, the pin pricks of light that indicated an incoming ship or possibly more than one.

Behind her the _Kyarī’_ s engines flared into life. She felt the air rippling with thermal energy and looked up to see the ship exiting the hangar above her head. It flew out into the night and then the sublight drive kicked in and the _Kyarī_ sped off into the darkness. The massed group of lights coming towards the outcrop separated and Kasha saw five move off in pursuit of the freighter.

She ran for the Phantom V38. The ship was a remnant of the Galactic Empire, a modified TIE assault fighter. She had been amused that Hux hadn’t recognised it for what it was, but then she had taken pains to disguise it. The livery was not the standard Imperial grey, but black and red and orange. The ship was held off the ground by its magnetic repulsers and she climbed the ladder to the double cockpit. Her bag was in a storage compartment and she opened it and dug through frantically for what she was seeking. Finally her hand closed around it and she pulled it out, racing for the hatch and sliding back down the ladder. As she did, she could heard the sound of the ship coming closer and could see the outline that blotted out the stars behind it.

Kasha tightened her hand around the object she’d retrieved.

She needed back-up.

And she knew just where to get it.

Even as the ship, sleek and black, came in to land Kasha ran headlong towards the entry port to the structure. She got in and closed the doors behind her, engaging the shutdown which would seal off all the view ports and external doors. From there she ran down the nearest flight of stairs and towards the med bay.


	8. Choices Part II

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kylo needs to make a decision...

_Kylo._

That voice again. Only this time is was louder, insistent.

_Kylo, wake the kriff up. NOW._

That last directive filtered through his mind and the suggestion in it was so strong that he jolted right out of the sedative induced sleep he’d been in. He took in s deep breath through the mask on his face and blinked under the bacta.

Then he felt it.

They were there.

Wait.

No.

Three of them. They had troopers though, Kylo could feel their hive like minds.

Kylo struggled against the drugs in his system, throwing off the sleepiness through sheer force of will. He moved, throwing out both hands to shove at the lid of the bacta tank, getting under it and managing to lift it off. It clattered to the ground, the noise so loud in his ears after the past few days that it made him wince. He managed to get to his feet, bacta pouring off of him as he stood, tearing the breathing mask from his face and dragging his saturated hair out of his eyes.

He looked around, identifying the place he was in as a standard med bay, although the lights were all out and it was empty of any medical staff. It took him a few minutes to co-ordinate himself enough to climb out of the tank and stagger to the nearest examination bed. He felt horribly weak, although the searing pain he remembered was now just a dull ache in his shoulder and face. He reached for his ribs, tracing the new skin and flesh that had knitted together over where Chewbacca’s bolt had blown a hole in his side. It was tender under his fingers and Kylo closed his eyes against the sudden flare of pain.

_Will you help me?_

His eyes flew open as he slammed the door closed on the memory. Even then he could still see it, the hope in his father’s face that had appeared when he’d said that. Then the shock when he’d thrust his lightsabre right through him, followed by something Kylo hadn’t been expecting.

Sadness. But not sadness for himself, no. It had been sadness for Kylo.

_No, not for Kylo. For Ben._

Kylo let out his anger in a roar and shoved hard at the bed, sending it rattling across the med bay. He looked around and then noticed that there were clothes stacked on a nearby table and went to it. There was also a towel laid out, as if waiting for him. He dried the bacta off, stripping off the sodden underwear he was still in, and got dressed. The trousers were his, as were the boots. He gave a brief thought to where his tunic and undershirt were, then realised they had obviously been disposed of. After all they had been shot up by a Wookiee.

Kylo finished dressing and then noticed with some surprise that there was a blaster belt. He put it on, feeling a little odd. He never carried a blaster, although he certainly knew his way around one. The shirt he’d been given fitted in the shoulders but was a little short in the sleeves so he rolled them up to the elbows. It was a Corellian shirt and he bristled at the connotation but it was that or go half naked.

He started to put on his boots when he heard it. It was a deep seated vibration and a sound like distant thunder. The Knights that had come were no doubt getting to troopers to open the blast doors that had sealed off the compound. Kylo zipped up both boots and then picked up the jacket, shrugging into it and going to the door. His hair was still damp, the quick towelling taking most of the bacta out.

The door slid opened and he stepped into an empty corridor. If he was going to find the Knights, he sensed that he needed to go up and stated moving along the passageway until he found a flight of stairs. He started ascending, going a little slower than he normally would. He did not feel it too pressing. He could vaguely sense that there was no-one left in the compound and he could not find the woman who’d called herself Kasha Jade. He got to the top of the stairs and found himself in what seemed like an open chamber with other doorways leading off of it.

The sound of a heavy cutter being used to get through the doors whined from somewhere in front and slightly below him. The light here was equally dim, the foot lights seemingly only at half illumination save for light from the overhead light well that cast a circular pool on the floor. Kylo focused for a second and then took a step in the direction of the noise.

‘Are you sure?’

He spun around and saw two pin points of amber light on the darkness just beyond the light from the light well and watched as Kasha stepped out of the shadows. Kylo pulled himself up straight.

‘You have no authority or power over me out here.’ he sneered. Kasha gave him a crooked smile.

‘If you asking whether or not I could stop you from joining them, from going back to Snoke the answer is most definitely yes.’ she said.

‘I don’t believe you.’ Kylo said, his own mouth curling in derision.

Kasha didn’t say anything. Instead she simply lifted a hand and Kylo felt invisible fingers at his throat. To his surprise though she didn’t choke him. The hold simply rested there against his skin. He snorted and raised his own hand and sent out a wave of power towards her as strong as he could summon in his current state. It would be enough to knock her back, buy him enough time to run down the passage to…

Kasha knocked away the attack effortlessly.

Kylo stared at her. In the background the noises increased in intensity. He tensed, waiting for some sort of attack.

‘I am not going to do that.’ Kasha said, reading his expectations. Kylo moved a little closer to the doorway that would take him down towards the noises. Towards the Knights and Snoke.

‘They’ve come for me.’ he said, trying to keep the uncertainty out of his voice. He couldn’t understand why he was hesitating, why he was wasting time standing here when he could be making his escape.

‘Yes, you do.’ Kasha said. ‘You’ve known it since the second you killed your father.’ Her amber eyes were glowing with power now, and Kylo waited for her to turn it on him. Instead he felt nothing but that strange warmth he’d felt in the tank. ‘Snoke told you it would make you stronger. It hasn’t.’

‘He said I needed to do it.’ Kylo found himself saying. ‘He said it would take me closer to where I needed to be. That it would expel the Light inside me.’

‘Nothing can do that, Kylo.’ Kasha said. ‘Not Snoke, not the Knights and not even you. It’s inside you and it will never leave.’

‘NO!’ Kylo shouted. ‘I DO NOT WANT IT!’

‘You have it.’ Kasha said, and now her voice was stern. ‘You can try and deny what you are, but you cannot change it.’ She took a step forward and her hand went behind her back. Kylo flinched and stiffened.

‘Are you going to kill me?’ he asked. ‘Because that’s the only way you will get me to turn.’

‘I’m not going to kill you.’ Kasha said. ‘I’m going to give you something.’ She bought out her hand and Kylo blinked in surprise when he saw what she was holding.

It was a light sabre, the silver metal hilt unlike any he’d seen before. In his mind he could feel the power associated with it, like a distant hum.

‘What are you giving me?’ he asked. His voice was shaking and he realised that his hands were too. Inside his head a thick noise had started up, like someone screaming at him over a very great distance. Kylo put one hand to his head as pain flared in his temples.

‘Something nobody ever has.’ Kasha said. ‘Not the Jedi and not Snoke.’ She held out the lightsabre to him. ‘I’m giving you the power to choose what happens to you next. You can stay here and wait for the Knights to come in and take you back with them. You can return to Snoke and resume your training to become part of the Dark.’

‘Or what?’ Kylo laughed weakly. ‘You’ll cart me back to my mother so they can try and turn me back to the Light?’ he shook his head, the pain getting greater.

‘No.’ Kasha said. ‘That is not your way either. You killed Ben Solo the night you killed your fellow Paduwan. You can’t ever go back there.’

‘Then what?’ Kylo asked, his voice harsh as he gritted his teethe against the pain. He could feel it now, tendrils of black digging into his mind, whispering seductively.

Snoke.

‘You come with me.’ Kasha said. ‘You take the training I offer you and become Grey. Like me. Like Hux will become. You learn to walk between the Light and the Dark, to master both but to be subsumed by neither. You learn to master your powers and control your feelings but not to deny them. You learn to use them to make you stronger.’

Down below there was a terrific echo as the blast doors were finally cut away and crashed to the ground. Kylo could hear the sound of many feet pouring through. He could feel the Knights behind them.

He looked down towards the sound and then back at Kasha. Her amber eyes were burning with such intensity they looked like they had been set alight.

_Your choice. It will always be your choice. I promise you that Kylo. That is what I offer you._

Their eyes locked and Kylo felt the wave of uncertainty he’d been holding back since he’d murdered his father on the bridge wash over him like a tsunami.

_I’m afraid._

They were the words of a child. A child that had been frightened of the Darkness inside him but who had had no-one to tell, no-one to turn to until the voice had come to whisper in his mind.

_You are strong. It’s time to take your power back. Time to choose for yourself._

Kylo’s eyes dropped to the light sabre Kasha held.

_I get to choose._

He reached out and the light sabre shot into his hand. He turned and ignited it just as the first troopers ran up towards the chamber, the deep violet glow of the blade taking him by surprise. Next to him, he hear the sound of another sabre and saw the deep golden glow of Kasha’s weapon.

‘This way.’ she said and ran to a doorway on the left, disappearing into the dark as the first shots were fired.

Kylo followed.

***********

‘Hold on!’ Corvis said and threw the Kyarī into a violent roll that had Hux half wishing he was still on the base. At least there he wouldn’t be feeling like his stomach was about to make a very violent exit through his mouth.

‘They’re good.’ Mosh Kree was laughing and it only added to the surreal nature of the situation they found themselves in. ‘Can’t shake them and shields are down to seventy percent.’

‘We need to shoot them down.’ Corvis said. He threw Hux a look over his shoulder. ‘General, what’s your aim like?’

‘I have absolutely no idea.’ he replied. ‘I’ve never shot a ship’s gun in my life.’

‘First time for everything.’ Corvis said. He seemed remarkably calm for someone whose ship was currently under attack by five fighters. ‘Mosh, you have control.’ He got up and moved past Hux, gesturing for him to follow. Hux managed to get out of his seat and followed him, barely able to walk as the ship shifted and moved violently.

They exited the cockpit and Hux followed Corvis through the crew quarters to the central hub. There was a tube with a ladder that led up and down.

‘Aim and shoot.’ Corvis said and jumped in, sliding down the ladder. Hux followed, climbing the ladder to the top turret. He got into the gunner’s chair, pulling the harness across his body and making it secure, then picked up the comms headset and pulled it on. The controls were in front of him and he took them, the turret turning as he bought them online.

He caught sight of a ship moving past his viewport, grinning wolfishly as he recognised it.

‘Corvis, they’re TIE/fo fighters.’ he said into the comms. ‘They are quick and well-shielded. You’ll need sustained direct fire to destroy them.’

‘How many hits?’ Corvis’ voice came though. Hux focused for a moment, bringing up statistics and schematics in his mind.

‘Seven direct hits.’ he said. ‘Try to aim for the superstructure at the bottom junctions of the solar arrays. That’s where they are weakest.’

‘Thanks for the tip.’ Corvis said. He sounded amused.

‘Look out.’ Mosh Kree’s voice came over the comms. ‘They’re coming back around for another attack.’

Hux concentrated and a distant memory came back to him. He was fifteen and lying in on a ridge, carefully hidden from sight, his face smeared with mud. His sniper blaster was in his hands, and Hux felt like he’d been there so long he was becoming part of the ground below him. In truth it had been two days. Two days of lying in the dirt, pissing on himself and going without food because he couldn’t take the chance of moving and someone seeing him. This had been a live fire exercise and it was shoot to kill.

For some reason it made him very angry and he swung the seat round as a ship flew into view, pressing the firing controls and swinging with the ship. He wasn’t a bit surprised when the ship exploded in a dazzling display of pyrotechnics.

He had killed twenty other cadets on that exercise and been awarded the Academy’s highest honour for marksmanship. By the time he had graduated, Hux had held more honours than any other cadet had before or since.

‘Great shot!’ Corvis sounded effusive. ‘Damn, they do teach you something in the Academy other than how to push buttons.’

‘You can kiss my arse, Corvis.’ Hux found himself retorting. ‘Now shut the kriff up and help me, unless you’re too busy being a sarcastic bastard.’

He could hear Corvis’ deep throated laughter echoing all the way up the turret well.

*******

‘Where are we going?’ Kylo panted as he ran behind Kasha, their blades casting enough light for him to see they were in a narrow corridor. He was feeling sore, his ribs aching but he didn’t dare stop now.

He felt almost giddy at what he had just done.

There was no doubt about it either. The moment he’d reached out, had extended his hand and taken the light sabre offered to him it had been like something in his head had been switched on. The black tendrils recoiled as if burned and he’d felt and heard the muffled shriek of fury and pain in his head.

‘I kept him out as best I could.’ Kasha said. ‘His hold on you is strong, like tree roots that have gone too deep. But I think it gave you enough time to come back into yourself.’ She skidded to a halt and seemed to have an internal debate with herself for a few moments, then decided and led him down a tunnel to the right. ‘And we’re going to my ship.’

‘And after that?’ he asked. ‘You’ll take me to where you showed me, won’t you? To the ziggurat?’

‘Yes.’ Kasha replied. She slowed and Kylo fell in behind her. There was an open doorway just ahead and Kylo could see a hangar just beyond it. Kasha pressed herself against the wall.

_They are just through there._

Kylo looked at her.

_I don’t know if…_

Kasha shook her head infinitesimally.

_You go. Get to the ship if you can and get her started. I will deal with them. What can I expect?_

Kylo frowned.

_They will try to kill you._

Kasha looked at him and a smile flickered on her face.

_Yes, thank you for that Kylo. I assumed that would be their objective._

‘You asked.’ he hissed at her. ‘They won’t show any mercy and they won’t stop until you’re dead.’

‘Then you better shut up and let me go get killed.’ she replied and Kylo was about to protest when she winked at him.

It threw him so badly that he was still gaping when she stepped out from the darkness and walked into the open space of the hangar.

_Go. Now._

He ran head down as the firing started. A couple of times he stopped and deflected blasts with the lightsabre. A few troopers crossed his path but Kylo twisted, swinging the lightsabre like it was an extension of his arm and cut them down.

It was all going well until a black robed and hooded figure stepped into his path.

Kylo pulled up short, the sabre coming up in front of him. He could feel the confusion of the Knight in front of him. Then it swelled and changed to anger.

‘Traitor.’ The word came out flat from the voice modulator. Kylo shifted his feet, changing to a defensive position.

‘Let me pass Callisto.’ he said. ‘I don’t want to kill you.’

‘You will pay for your betrayal.’ Callisto Ren lifted the staff that was her primary weapon and twirled it gracefully through the air. Blue energy crackled along the shaft.

Kylo braced himself and waited for the attack. He felt strangely unafraid. After all he had trained her himself.

The attack came as he expected and Kylo parried it easily. Then he reversed the attack, sparks showering as lightsabre met staff. He focused all his energy into his strikes, his mind going back to his training when he’d been a Jedi. The lightsabre he wielded was massively different to the one he’d left behind on Starkiller.

There was a roar of anger behind him and Kylo felt a shocking mass of power hit him as if from a cannon. He staggered and Callisto took the opening, her staff catching him in his injured side. Kylo gasped in pain, barely able to duck the next blow and it caught him in his injured thigh. He threw out his hand and callisto was picked up and thrown clear across the space they were currently fighting in. Kylo moved back, trying to get clear of the shuttle that he recognised as Hux’s. He got around the side and saw that there was a black armoured body lying prone on the floor. He recognised Agrippa Ren from the heavy blaster lying near him and the concussion grenades strapped to his chest. His was clearly dead. Callisto came around in pursuit an she let out an enraged cry when she saw the fallen Knight in front of her.

In front of them, Kylo saw Tylyn Ren fighting with Kasha. The Knight was using his massive electro-sword, a scimitar that had an electrified blade. He was a superb fighter and yet here he was simply outclassed. Kylo’s eyes were barely able to pick up the transitions of Kasha’s katas as she fought, the golden blade leaving behind light trails. He recognised it as Juyo and his estimation for the woman went up. Her speed was blinding and she pressed in. Even as she turned though she saw Kylo limping towards her.

‘To me!’ she shouted and he forced himself to make one colossal effort, coming to her so she could stand back to back with him. Kylo lifted his sabre and they watched as Tylyn and Callisto began to circle them. ‘Are you hurt?’

‘A little.’ he said.

‘They’re not a very talkative lot are they?’ Kasha said and Kylo bit his lip to stifle the hysterical laughter that threatened to bubble up inside him. ‘We need to get out of here.’

‘I couldn’t agree more.’ he said. Then he looked over his shoulder at her as she extinguished her sabre and took his hand, hooking it on her belt. ‘What the kriff are you doing?’

‘Do it.’ she said and he obeyed, extinguishing his own sabre and attaching it to his belt. He could feel the threat from the two Knights as they approached. The something else crept in and he found himself starting to tingle.

‘What…’ he started but Kasha tightened her grip.

‘Just go with it.’ she said and held out her free hand. Kylo copied her action and then he felt it.

It was so powerful it seemed like it would knock his very teeth loose. The power surged and rippled through them and came out from his outstretched hand, the blue lightning running up and down his arm as it shot forward and crippled Callisto. She shrieked in agony, dropping her staff and falling to her knees. On the other side he could hear Tylyn screaming in pain.

Kylo was amazed but also exhilarated by what was happening. He had not been strong enough with the Dark Side to create and use Force lightning, and he knew it was Kasha using it through him. In spite of this, he felt almost jubilant at the power.

_Don’t get distracted! Focus!_

Chastised, Kylo redoubled his efforts. He could feel that while he was not the one generating the lightning, he was fueling it. It was a breathtaking sharing of power that he hadn’t known could exist. He watched as Callisto spasmed and shook as she was electrocuted and Kylo watched as she fell to the ground, twitching wildly. On the other side, a heavy sound signalled that Tylyn had suffered the same fate. He lowered his hand and felt Kasha let him go. His heart was pounding and his breathing was coming quick and fast.

‘We need to get to the ship.’ Kashsa said. ‘Before the troopers get back from inside there.’ She looked at him. ‘Can you walk.’

‘I can.’ Kylo said. Kasha looked at him critically and then moved to take his arm and throw it over her shoulders.

‘Lean on me.’ she instructed. Kylo hesitated and then did.

They struggled to the ship and his eyes widened when he saw what it was.

‘Up you go.’ Kasha said and he climbed up the ladder slowly, making it into the cockpit. He fell into the co-pilot’s seat and kasha came past him, taking the pilot’s position. The ladder retracted and the door sealed. ‘I’m assuming you can fly.’

‘Since I was a child.’ he replied and the flash of memory came unbidden of him sitting on his father’s lap and controlling the ship for just a moment.

‘Good.’ Kasha’s fingers danced across the controls. ‘Then let’s get the kriff out of here.’

In the hangar below the troopers were now pouring into the open space, firing their blasters at the ship. The blasts bounced off the ship’s shields and Kasha engaged the engines.

‘Time to go.’ she said. The ion drives came on line and the ship lifted into the air as she disengaged the magnetic couplings and turned the ship to fly straight out the hangar and into the night sky. Behind her, Kylo sat back in his seat and let out a long drawn breath.

Whatever came next, he had royally kriffed himself.

He couldn’t help it. The laughter would not be quelled this time and it came tumbling out, deep and loud.

‘Great.’ Kasha said. ‘Glad to see you found that so entertaining.’ There was sarcasm in it but it was light and she was smiling along with him.

‘I think I have just made a terrible mistake.’ he managed to say. ‘I am a dead man.’

‘Well, if it’s any consolation the Hutts have had a 5 million credit bounty on my head for the past decade and I’m still alive.’ Kasha replied. She sighed and leaned back in her seat. ‘I think you’ll live too.’

‘I hope so.’ Kylo said as something occurred to him. ‘I plan on kicking Hux so hard in the balls when I next see him for getting me into this that he’s going to spit them out afterwards.’

‘Now that I am looking forward to seeing.’ Kasha said and smiled as she engaged the hyperdrive engines.


	9. Hideout

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The two ships land on a backwater planet and there's a little reunion.

‘That was some fancy shooting.’ Corvis said. He and Hux were seated at the table in the living quarters while Mosh piloted the ship through hyperspace and having a drink of some rather excellent Corellian brandy Corvis had produced. D’jell and Millicent were curled up together on the other side of the booth.

‘Thank you.’ Hux said, trying to sound grudging and not quite succeeding. The dogfight had been far more exciting than anything he’d ever experienced and he was struggling to keep that fact under wraps. ‘I am just thankful we got away.’

‘We did.’ Corvis said. ‘And we took five of the bastards with us. You’re going to come in useful, General.’ 

‘All right.’ Hux said, putting his cup down. ‘If this is going to work at all, you really have to stop calling me that.’

‘I would if I knew your name.’ Corvis said. ‘Until then it’s ranks only.’ He grinned at Hux, and it was so infuriating he did something he was sure he was going to regret until the end of days. 

‘It’s Armitage.’ he said stiffly. Corvis choked slightly on his drink and then looked at him, his dark eyes wide. 

‘Armitage?’ he asked. 

‘Now you see why I prefer Hux.’ Hux said. ‘My father thought it was apt, thought it would represent my future career as a protector of the ideals the Old Empire held dear. All it did was get my arse kicked at the Academy on more than one occasion.’ He looked straight at Corvis and the smuggler threw back his head and roared with laughter. 

‘Hux.’ he said. ‘Welcome to our merry band of fools.’

‘I really didn’t sign up for this, you know.’ Hux muttered into his cup. ‘All I wanted was a quiet escape to somewhere I could hide under a rock.’

‘Well, you picked the wrong crew to help you.’ Corvis said. ‘Do you know how many systems we’re wanted in?’

‘A fair few, I can imagine.’ Hux stared into the cup. ‘This is very good brandy by the way.’ 

‘Only the best for my ship and my crew.’ Corvis said. Hux looked at him.

‘Am I now crew?’ he asked. 

‘Looks that way.’ Corvis said. ‘You seem to be fitting in with everyone just fine.’ He refilled his cup and then Hux’s. 

‘In that case I would like to ask something.’ Hux said.

‘Shoot.’ Corvis said. 

‘Back on wherever it was, Bhutara said you’re all murderers.’ Hux said. ‘That’s why you’ve been so accepting of me tagging along on this venture into madness.’

‘She’s right.’ Corvis said. ‘None of us have any room to quibble over your actions, when we are just as bad.’

‘I find it hard to see Bhutara as a killer.’ Hux snorted. 

‘Really? So it would surprise you to know that she killed every inhabitant and customer of the pleasure house the Hutts sold her into?’ Corvis said. ‘And all before she was thirteen?’ 

‘Really?’ Hux had to admit he was secretly impressed. ‘How?’

‘I poisoned them.’ Bhutara said. She was laening in the doorway and then came into the living area. ‘Mosh asked me to come tell you that we’ll be dropping out of hyperspace soon.’ 

‘Thank you.’ Corvis replied. ‘I’ll be there in a moment.’ She smiled and turned, walking back out again.

‘Where will we be when we stop?’ Hux asked. 

‘It’s called Kalanthia.’ Corvis said. ‘Not a very large planet but it’s really in the arse end of the Outer Rim so hardly any traffic. Great place to lay low for a couple of days. We took some heavy hits to the shield generator so we need to repair that and then we’ll be off. I have business to attend to on my lovely wife’s behalf.’

‘And me?’ Hux asked.

‘You’ll be going with her and Kylo Ren to her mother’s home.’ Corvis said. ‘Although with three of you it’s going to be a tight fit.’ He grinned. ‘Can’t wait to see how that will go down.’

‘Indeed.’ Hux muttered and drained his glass.

*********

Kylo sat and thought. 

It wasn’t a pleasant activity and he felt a little sick to his stomach as he contemplated the past week’s events. His mind was a terrifying void left by Snoke and he found himself trying to fill it with what he was thinking and feeling, wanting nothing more than for his sudden torrent of thought and emotion to be taken away from him again. At the same time though, his new found freedom was dizzying.

‘Stop it.’ Kasha said. ‘You can’t take back what you did. You’ve managed to extricate yourself from the control of a man whose been nothing better than a parasite in your head for kriff knows how long.’ 

‘I realise that.’ he said. ‘How did it come to this? What have I done?’

‘Tell me something.’ Kasha said. ‘How are you feeling?’

‘Better.’ he replied. ‘I think I am almost fully healed.’

‘Not your body. Your mind. Your spirit.’ she said. Kylo frowned. He hadn’t really analysed that part of himself, but now he focused for a moment. 

‘I feel…odd.’ he said. ‘Like my mind is too big.’

‘It’s not that it’s too big, it’s just that you haven’t been alone in it for a very long time.’ She sighed. ‘How old were you?’

‘When?’ Kylo replied, but he knew what she was asking. He just didn’t want to say it. Kasha was silent for a while. Eventually she spoke.

‘I was five the first time he came to me.’ she said. ‘He disguised himself as a woman, made me think he was my mother.’ She shifted in her seat. ‘I wasn’t a planned pregnancy. My parents’ liaison was one of mutual need and convenience and I believe that it only happened the once. Mara showed up on my father’s doorstep a year later with me in her arms and handed me over.’

‘She abandoned you?’ Kylo asked, so shocked he turned around to look at her. 

‘She knew that she wasn’t cut out to be a mother.’ Kasha said. ‘And BoShek turned out to be an admirable father. Of course I ran completely wild, but it was wonderful. I saw things no child could ever imagine and the galaxy was my playground. But then my powers started to develop, and by the time I was five they were pretty much manifested. That’s when he started to talk to me.’ She looked down at Kylo. ‘You didn’t think you were the first, did you? He’s been looking for someone like us for a long time.’

‘But you escaped.’ Kylo could hardly bring himself to speak. ‘How did you do that?’ 

‘For four years I listened.’ Kasha said. ‘I became a nightmare to deal with. My powers started to spiral out of control.’ Kylo bowed his head, feeling a sense of dread steal over him. He remembered a boy, sullen and temperamental and the source of many of his parents’ arguments. He remembered the seductive allure of the voice. ‘Then she came back.’

‘Your mother?’ he asked and Kasha nodded. 

‘I was running around the ship causing trouble as usual. It was a week before my tenth birthday and we had landed on this strange planet that BoShek had never taken me to before.’ Kasha’s eyes grew distant. ‘I felt her come on board, just this magnificent surge of power and control like nothing I’d ever experienced. I felt like it was compelled by it, drawn to it and I remember running to the cargo lift and there she was. She was every bit as beautiful as I’d hoped she would be and she was so strong.’

‘She chased him away.’ Kylo said, his head dropping and resentment filling him. His own parents had dealt with him by sending him away to be trained by Luke. They had been too busy with their own issues to worry about him.

‘It wasn’t that they didn’t care Kylo.’ Kasha said and he raised his head to look at her. ‘You have to remember they probably had no idea how to deal with you. Not only that, but only those who know the Dark can truly understand how cunning it can be. Snoke was very clever in the way he groomed you. Your uncle had no idea what was happening to you and even if he had, he would have not necessarily known how to fight it. I was lucky. Mara took one look at me and saw what my father hadn’t. He’s Force sensitive but untrained. He uses his powers to keep himself out of trouble and avoid being caught by rivals.’

‘If she didn’t dispel him, then what did she do?’ Kylo asked. Kasha grinned at him.

‘She taught me to fight him myself. The planet we were on turned out to be where she’d made her home. She took me with her from the ship and we went to the ziggurat. For a week we trained, and then when he came for me, I cast him out. I burned him through the Force, used my powers to make sure that I hurt him so badly that he was begging to be released. And all the while she stood behind me and watched, but she didn’t aid me at all. When I had him crawling, she looked at him and said ‘And she’s but a child now. Imagine what she would do if she was grown. Now leave her and pray that she never finds you again. Or that I don’t either.’ And then he was gone and he didn’t come back.’ Kylo couldn’t help the overwhelming jealousy he felt. 

‘They never protected me like that.’ he said. 

‘They couldn’t.’ Kasha said. ‘But what happened to you shouldn’t happen to anyone either. No child deserves what he did to you.’ 

‘Is that why you’re helping me?’ he asked and she shrugged.

‘It could have easily been me.’ she said. ‘If BoShek hadn’t taken me to Mara, it would have been.’ She turned back to the view port and Kylo fell back into the chair. The physical exertion was taking its toll and pain was creeping through him. 

‘I was younger.’ he said eventually. ‘I don’t remember a time he wasn’t there. Even before he started talking to me, I think he was in here.’ He raised one hand to his temple. ‘Just watching.’

‘Yes, he probably was.’ Kasha said. She straightened up. ‘We’re about to drop out of hyperspace. Then we can let you rest a few days. You came up short on how long you should have been in the tank.’ 

‘Where are we?’ Kylo asked.

‘A place that we can lie low, get some decent food and a place to rest before we leave.’ Kasha said. ‘You’ll need your strength for what awaits you.’ He saw her amber gaze flash. ‘I have a lot to teach you.’

‘Does that mean that I have to call you Master now?’ Kylo couldn’t quite hide his apprehension. To his surprise Kasha laughed out loud. 

‘Kriff, no.’ she said. ‘I’ll be your teacher, but you are your own master now Kylo.’ 

*********

The planet was green and swampy. The ship had come down through an atmosphere that seemed almost primordial and it was now docked in a large clearing in the forest that surrounded them. There were other similar clearings and Hux had spotted a few ships, wrinkling his nose as he followed Corvis off the ship. The air was thick with the smell of rotting vegetation and the air was foggy. He and Corvis were now following a series of elevated wooden walkways into the trees. Mosh and Butara had volunteered to stay behind and the last he’d seen of them was Bhutara curled on her bunk with Millicent tucked in against her body and Mosh merrily descending into the drive assembly with KRL. 

‘That woman has seduced my cat.’ He grumbled to Corvis, looking at how D’Jell padded alongside them. 

‘She does that.’ Corvis said. ‘Animals just seem to gravitate to her. D’Jell loves her.’

‘I must admit I never expected to be this close to a sand panther.’ Hux said. ‘I thought they were impossible to tame.’

‘D’Jell is not exactly tame.’ Corvis replied. ‘She is quite lethal if provoked. Most if the time I think she just humours me.’ He grinned. ‘I grew up in a rural part of the Corellian savannah. She was my coming of age present. If they accept you, they are your companion for life.’

‘And if they don’t?’ Hux asked.

‘Then they rip your face off.’ Corvis laughed. He pointed and Hux saw lights through the trees ahead. ‘There we are. That place serves the best goranth stew on the Outer Rim and firewater that will put hair on your chest.’

‘Charming.’ Hux said and followed him down the walkway and towards the building. It was a strange affair, crafted from scavenged metal. It was a series of octagonal rooms, all stacked up on top of each other and Hux could see that it was extensive, built against the massive trees for support. There was yellow light pouring out of the windows and the sound a lot of drunk people make when they are all sitting in a confined space and trying to talk over each other.

They got to the entrance and Corvis pushed open the double doors rather dramatically and they went inside. The room Hux found himself in was like any other backwater cantina, lined with dim booths and with a central serving station in the middle. He certainly seen a few of these places in his life, although the inhabitants usually didn’t hang around when the First Order was on a raid. Corvis led to way to the serving station, giving the tall Arconan behind the serving station a beaming smile as he ordered their drinks. The Arconan served him and Corvis handed Hux a cup of deep purple liquid. 

‘Careful with that.’ he said. ‘It’s extremely strong.’

‘Noted.’ Hux looked around. The current occupants of the cantina were a diverse bunch of species from planets in the Outer Rim and from the Core by the looks of things. ‘Why exactly have we stopped here.’

‘A couple of reasons.’ Corvis said. ‘Mosh and KRL need to fix the shield generators on the ship. We also need to rendezvous with Kasha and Ren here. And thirdly we will be meeting someone who will be bringing us news.’

‘Who.’ Hux took a seat in the booth Corvis had led him to.

‘Kasha’s father.’ Corvis sipped his drink. ‘He’s meeting with the Rebellion. General Organa called on him especially, which means she has a job for him. BoShek’s retired from smuggling. He has a nice little house on a nice little planet with a wife who’s younger than his daughter along with two new babies and is settling into a second lease on life. But he and Organa go back a long way. He worked for the Rebellion when her parents were still alive.’

‘Will he betray us?’ Hux asked, feeling a shiver of down his spine. The last thing he needed was to be sold out to the Rebellion.

‘No.’ Corvis said. ‘At present he doesn’t know you’re even with us. But he will soon enough. Kasha thinks Organa is going to ask him to try and find you and Ren, more than likely with the purpose of getting her son back. But Kasha has other plans. And I am very sure you have no interest in losing your very valuable bargaining chip, am I right?’

‘Yes.’ Hux regarded the liquid in his cup and then decided to dive in. he sipped it cautiously. It tasted fruity and delicate and he was about to remark as to Corvis’ warning being redundant when he was suddenly overcome with a rush of heat that made his eyes water. 

‘And there it is.’ Corvis laughed.

*********

The Phantom came down through the atmosphere and Kylo saw a sea of green from his vantage point behind Kasha. He had a brief remembrance of a planet far from here and another forest inhabited by small creatures. 

He pushed it away. He wasn’t ready to think about that just yet. It did, however, bring up a question.

‘He didn’t bring it.’ The words tumbled out of his mouth as the realisation hit. He had no idea why he was so sure that what he was thinking was the truth, but he knew without a doubt that it was. ‘That kriffing bastard left it behind!’ 

‘Left what?’ Kasha was busy piloting the ship down through the thick fog and didn’t look at him.

‘HE LEFT IT BEHIND!!!’ Kylo fairly roared, now angrier than he could have ever thought possible. He clenched his hands into fists and the ship began to shake.

‘Calm down.’ Kasha’s voice was stern. ‘I don’t need you losing it and making us crash. Just rein it in and focus yourself.’ She shook her head. ‘How has Snoke let you run around like this? You have no impulse control to speak of.’ 

Kylo wanted to snap back, but he realised that what she said was true, at least about them landing safely. He was rigid with fury and it took a lot for him to reel himself in enough to get it under control. It was hard. He hadn’t needed to control himself for a very long time. 

‘That’s better.’ Kasha said. ‘And don’t worry. Whatever Hux did to make you so furious you can tell him all about it in a very short time.’

‘I can?’ He looked back at her. ‘He’s here?’

‘Of course.’ Kasha said. ‘Corvis has him in the cantina with him. I can feel it.’ She grinned. ‘I’m surpised you didn’t pick up on Hux’s presence seeing how much you too affect each other.’

‘What the kriff are you talking about?’ Kylo snapped, his fury quickly crawling in on itself. He would have to be careful here. Kasha was strong enough to pick up in things, especially those he’d prefer to keep hidden. ‘He has no effect on me whatsoever.’

‘Alright, play it like that.’ Kasha said, still grinning. ‘Do you remember when you almost sent the whole med bay floating because you were so angry with him for taking you hostage?’ Kylo looked back out the view port, his face colouring. 

‘I hate him.’ he hissed. ‘I hate his stupid smug face.’

‘Yes, I can tell.’ Kasha replied, but he could hear the amusement in her voice. ‘And he hates you just as much it would seem.’ 

‘Good.’ Kylo said, folding his arms and slumping in his seat. ‘It’s going to make choking the life out of him, that much more enjoyable.’

‘Not while I’m around.’ Kasha replied. ‘We need him.’

‘What the kriff for?’ Kylo said, outraged. ‘He’s….he’s…’ He gave up, throwing up both hands. ‘He’s the most pompous self-serving megalomaniac I’ve ever met.’

‘Sounds like love to me.’ Kasha chuckled and that shut him right up.

The Phantom was now through the atmosphere and she guided it down towards a clearing. Kylo spotted a freighter below then and for a moment his stomach lurched in trepidation. Then, as they drew closer, he realised it wasn’t shaped like the Falcon. 

‘It’s my husband’s ship, the Kyarī.’ She said. ‘He put in magnetic replusers on the dorsal side so my ship can dock with her. Then we can go and find him. He’s no doubt already nose deep in a cup of firewater. I just hope Hux has some disposition for drinking.’

‘There are others too.’ Kylo frowned. ‘I felt them in the room.’ 

‘There are.’ Kasha said. ‘You’ll meet them in good time.’ The ship was now hovering over the freighter and she engaged the comlink. ‘Mosh?’

‘Kasha.’ The voice was deep. ‘You made it.’

‘With the cargo intact.’ she replied. ‘But we won’t be going back there for a while.’

‘They’re in the cantina.’ The voice said. ‘Mark has taken Hux with him.’

‘Good.’ Kasha said. ‘I’d prefer any upcoming destructive tantrums to be gotten out of the way off the ship.’ There was a tone in her voice that made Kylo glare at her and she smiled. 

‘We’ll see you later then.’ The communication disconnected and Kasha stood up.

‘Come on, then.’ she said. ‘Let’s go find the boys, shall we?’

*********

‘It’s actually quite good once you get started.’ Hux peered into the cup thoughtfully. He was feeling hot and flushed from the firewater, a pleasant burn in his belly. He reached up and brushed his hair out of his eyes. It was annoying him a little and part of him cursed the fact that he’d thought he hadn’t needed to bring anything with him. His hair, usually pomaded into complete submission was actually fine and flyaway when it was untreated and it hung in his face in red gold strands.

‘It’s damn good.’ Corvis was leaning back in his seat, elbows on the rail behind him and his legs stretched out. ‘Probably not what you’re used to aboard that monolith of a ship you commanded.’

‘Funnily enough, I haven’t had a drink in a very long time.’ Hux said. ‘I was too busy with Starkiller.’

‘Really?’ Corvis frowned. ‘I thought for sure you lot would have all the bells and whistles on there.’

‘I am sure all those things are available, I simply have no need of them.’ Hux said. ‘Except this. I would definitely make an exception for this.’

‘And what about other kinds of company not of the alcoholic kind.’ Corvis’ eyes twinkled. ‘Did you leave someone behind?’

‘Thankfully I did not.’ Hux sniffed. ‘I do not fraternise with crew. Quite frankly I find the whole idea of associating with someone who is below my rank extremely distasteful.’ 

‘And there was no-one who ranked the same as you?’ Corvis was grinning. ‘That’s rough.’

‘Well, technically Ren does, but I would rather bed a bantha than touch that out of control case of arrested development.’ Hux said scathingly. ‘He is nothing but a menace.’ He sighed in annoyance. ‘I am seriously starting to regret bringing him.’ He suddenly realised that Corvis was looking past his shoulder. 

‘Just a heads up.’ Corvis said. ‘You might want to brace yourself.’

*********

They entered the cantina and Kylo looked around, his eyes searching out that head of vibrant copper hair on instinct. He found it and started storming across to the booth Hux was sitting in with a large built black Corellian. His anger was at boiling point now, his ambitions to choke the life out of a certain unbearable General about to come to fruition. 

Hux stood up and that was when Kylo’s brain tripped over its own feet. He had to slow a little and take in the sight in front of him, confirm it was the same man. Gone was the carefully tailored uniform, pristine and sharply cut to emphasise Hux’s slender frame for maximum effect. Instead the man in front of him looked like a softer version of Hux, his hair falling in his eyes and the Corellian clothing he wore making him look smaller and more human than Kylo had ever seen him. The simple combination of black and brown he was wearing made his skin and hair look warmer, the worn hide jacket almost a match for the one he himself was wearing, and the deep indigo shemagh he was wearing around his neck made his eyes seem like they had actual colour in them. 

The whole thing set off a very odd feeling in Kylo’s chest, like a constricting heat that threatened to take his heart and squeeze it. 

He stamped it down, and the anger flowed back in. It was almost overwhelming and it took only three strides for him to reach Hux, hand outstretched as he focused his power, the Force grip enough to physically lift Hux off the ground. Hux scrabbled at his throat where Kylo held him, quickly going red as his air supply was cut off.

‘You jawa-fucker!’ Kylo hissed. ‘I am going to kill you and then bring you back so I can kill you again.’

‘Ren.’ Hux choked out. he was starting to go an unhealthy shade of purple. ‘Put me the kriff down.’

‘Not until you explain why you left my grandfather on that kriffing ship!!!’ Kylo roared and he locked eyes with the man he was currently throttling. To his eternal frustration, there wasn’t a single bit of fear in Hux’s eyes. 

‘Hux.’ It was Kasha’s voice. ‘Block him out.’

Kylo frowned, looking back at her, but she was staring at Hux and then it felt like Kylo had been kicked in the head. The noise that hit him was resounding enough to make it feel like his teeth were rattling in his skull. It knocked his grip loose, and Hux fell to the floor, coughing frantically as he tried to steady his breathing.

‘Well now.’ The Corellian stood and Kylo noticed that while he was definitely shorter, he was broader in the shoulders and built like fighter. ‘This is going to be fun isn’t it?’ Kasha stepped over Hux and kissed him, hands to his bearded face.

‘Isn’t it just?’ she replied.


	10. Coming to An Agreement

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A small flicker of light at the end of the tunnel?

Leia folded her hands and regarded the man in front of her.

BoShek was an enigma to many. He seemed on the face of things to be merely another Corellian smuggler, but she knew better. Luke had told her how he had felt things around the man on the odd occasion that they had met while BoShek was still working for the rebellion on a more or less regular basis. She herself had never felt anything, but she trusted Luke’s judgement and so she hid her thoughts from him, masking herself in the Force just as he did.

‘What makes you think I can help?’ he asked, regarding the cup of tea he had in front of him. Long strong fingers traced the delicate edge of the ceramic.

‘My parents trusted you.’ she said. ‘You worked both in the Outer Rim and as a spy in the Imperial Navy for a great many years. You understand the Imperial mind set.’

‘The First Order is not the Empire.’ BoShek said. He lifted his eyes and looked at her and Leia met his gaze head on. His eyes were such a deep brown they seemed almost black. ‘And I have not been a spy for almost as long.’

‘But you still have your contacts.’ Leia said, lifting her cup and sipping. She placed it back down and sighed. ‘From what we know, there has been an… escape.’

‘Sounds interesting.’ BoShek said. ‘Who besides your son escaped?’

‘The same man who sentenced the inhabitants of five planets to death.’ Leia said. ‘General Hux.’

‘And you know this how?’ BoShek asked. His eyes were wary.

‘We still have our spies.’ Leia said. ‘This much we were able to ascertain. After Ben…’ she stopped and her face twitched as she tried to keep the pain inside. ‘After that man killed Han, he went after a girl who is now in Luke’s custody. She told us that she left him wounded on the planet’s surface. Sources have told us that the last that was seen of General Hux was him descending to the planet’s surface in his personal shuttle to retrieve him. That was last anything was heard of either of them.’

‘They could be dead.’ BoShek said. ‘They could have been caught in the blast.’

‘No.’ Leia shook her head. ‘For all that it means, I am still his mother. I would know.’

‘So what became of them?’ BoShek asked. ‘If you have any theories that is?’

‘I don’t know.’ Leia said. ‘That’s where I would require your help. Galaxy knows that if you want to hide something, you take it to the Outer Rim.’

‘But what would the motivation be?’ he asked. ‘It all seems a little odd.’

‘Again, I don’t know.’ Leia said. ‘But anything that could be seen as defection would mean that his life is under threat. I can’t let that happen.’

‘He killed your husband, his father.’ BoShek said. ‘I may not be the most Force sensitive person in the galaxy but I can feel the pain rolling off you. I felt it when Han was killed.’ He sat back and sighed. ‘Are you sure that you would even want him back?’

Leia was shocked but she hid it as best she could. This was the first time he was actually admitting his power to her.

‘I want him back, regardless of what he’s become.’ she said eventually. ‘Maybe we could bring him back, turn him to the Light. It was not too late for my father and it may not be too late for him.’ She looked at the smuggler. ‘I just need a chance. You can help me.’ She looked away. ‘She can help me.’

‘I don’t know if she would.’ BoShek said. ‘Kasha is a woman of convictions and they don’t align with those of the Alliance.’

‘Would you at least ask her?’ Leia said. ‘I know she’s followed in your footsteps. I know how she tries to make things better for those in the Outer Rim. She and I are not so different.’

‘I’ll ask.’ BoShek said. ‘But that’s all I can promise. Whether she chooses to help with the search or not is up to her.’

‘That’s all I ask.’ Leia said.

‘Han was a good man.’ BoShek said. ‘He was a Corellian and one of us. A brother. I am truly sorry to hear of his passing. Part of me wishes I hadn’t done what I did that day.’

‘The Force works in ways we don’t always understand.’ Leia said. ‘That’s what Luke always told me.’ The pain finally became too much and her mouth pinched as she tried to hold back tears that had been too long in coming. ‘The way I see it, if you hadn’t I would never have met either my brother or my husband.’ BoShek leaned across the table and placed his hand over hers.

‘I will do what I can, Leia.’ he said. Leia gave him a watery smile.

‘Thank you.’ she replied.

**********

On the other side of the galaxy, a stand-off was in progress.

‘It’s going to get cold.’ Corvis observed dryly. Both Hux and Kylo ignored him and continued trying to assassinate each other through the unproven medium of glaring at each other so hard that if looks could kill they would have both been belly up by that stage.

‘You left it behind.’ Kylo hissed, still furious.

‘It’s morbid to drag your dead grandfather’s head half way across the Outer Rim.’ Hux was equally furious. ‘I saved your miserable hide. I didn’t have time to kriff around getting your bizarre momentos.’ Kylo narrowed his eyes at him.

‘That wasn’t just a momento.’ his voice was low and threatening. ‘You have no idea what I went through to get that.’

‘Well grave robbing is not something I partake in, so I’ll just have to take your word for it.’ Hux snapped. He was at the point where he wanted to just reach across the table and plant Kylo’s stupid childish pout right in the bowl of stew in front of him. Corvis looked at Kasha who was placidly eating her stew with every sign of enjoyment.

‘They’re like children.’ he remarked.

‘Yes, very annoying ones.’ she replied. ‘This is why we don’t have any.’ She looked up at them and both Hux and Kylo fell silent. They were learning that Kasha was possessed of a look that brooked no arguments. ‘Now shut up both of you and eat your kriffing stew or I will leave you both here to be made into a dinner special.’

‘This is not what I had in mind when I contacted you.’ Hux huffed and Kylo gave him an outraged look.

‘You contacted her?’ his voice bordered on hysterical. ‘Exactly how long had you planned on kidnapping me?’

‘Long enough.’ Hux said, folding his arms. ‘I knew you’d kriff things up. You always bloody do. It’s never enough for you to stick to the plan, you always have your own stupid agenda to follow and it always ends up blowing up in your face, Ren. That’s why I had a contingency plan. I wasn’t about to let my head get put on a spike because you couldn’t keep things professional.’

‘I am going to kill you.’ Kylo’s voice was venomous. ‘And I am going to do it from the feet up so I can wipe that smug look off your face.’

‘That doesn’t even make sense.’ Hux said. ‘Like everything you do.’

‘Enough!’ Corvis had his hands to his head, a look of utter frustration on his face. He turned to Kasha. ‘They’re going to kill each other before you even get started.’

‘No they won’t.’ Kasha said. She’d finished her stew and pushed her plate aside and was now refilling her cup with firewater. ‘They’ll be too tired to when I’m done putting them through their paces.’

‘Now that is something we need to discuss.’ Hux said. ‘I for one am not ready to become a half arsed version of a Jedi. And I certainly don’t want to be doing anything that involves the Force with that half-cocked child who has worse impulse control than my cat does.’

‘I am not a child.’ Kylo hissed and the accoutrements of dinner began to rattle on the table, causing several customers to turn and look at them.

‘Stop that.’ Kasha said and Kylo jumped in his seat as he was given the Force equivalent of a sharp smack up the back of his head. He actually felt it, moving his hand to where the offending blow had landed and gaped at her.

‘How did you even…’ he started and then got the glare again.

‘Maybe if you’d been given a few more of those when you were younger, we wouldn’t find ourselves in this Sarlacc pit of a debacle.’ she said and shook her head disparagingly. ‘Jedi. They’re all about the compassion and peace and serenity and not a damned bit of common sense.’ She turned her amber eyes on Kylo. ‘You say you’re not a child, and yet you take every given opportunity to behave like one.’ Kylo felt his cheeks start burning when he caught the smug look on Hux’s face.

‘I’m only four years younger than he is.’ he said through gritted teeth. 

'And yet, you behave no better than a thirteen year old boy who’s suddenly discovered that the world does not in fact acknowledge his authority.’ she said. ‘Well, here’s the thing. I am the authority here and you will listen to me or I will take you and dunk you head first in the swamp outside and you really don’t want me to do that. It stinks worse than a dead tauntaun.’ Then she glared at Hux who’d been looking far too superior for his own good. ‘And as for you, Hux, you may have commanded an army of tens of thousands but I run the show out here in the Outer Rim. You asked for my help, and I’m giving it but it will be on my terms or so help me I will put you in a box with air holes and deliver you to the Hutts. I am sure that Snoke has a very fine bounty on your pale behind.’ She took a deep breath. ‘Now I am going to go over and get another bottle of that.’ She pointed at the firewater. ‘And we are all going to get shit faced and have a nice evening.’

They watched as she stomped off to the bar, patrons scattering out of her way as she walked past.

‘She’s very scary for someone so small.’ Hux remarked and then glanced at Kylo. ‘Are we sure she’s not a Sith?’

‘Oh, you boys haven’t seen the half of it.’ Corvis said, sticking his nose in his cup. ‘I have a couple of stories to tell you.’

‘She’s like my mother, only worse.’ Kylo muttered.

‘So much worse.’ Corvis said. ‘Kasha will actually kill you if you step out of line, regardless of her plans.’

‘What exactly are her plans?’ Hux asked and Corvis shrugged.

‘Kriff knows.’ he said. ‘I’m just the pilot.’

‘Like hell you are.’ Hux said and Corvis gave him a sharp smile. ‘Why does she need us?’

‘You’ll have to ask her that.’ he replied. ‘I know better than to meddle in my wife’s affairs. You two are on your own.’ He chuckled. ‘If you’d like some advice, you are both far better off putting your differences aside and ganging up on her. If you don’t she’s going to destroy you. At least together you’ll have a bit of a fighting chance.’ They both fell silent at that and exchanged looks across the table.

‘Perhaps you have a point.’ Hux said grudgingly. ‘She seems to have us both cornered.’

‘I don’t make deals with traitors.’ Kylo said. Then he looked away. ‘But right now, I agree.’

‘Excellent.’ Corvis said cheerfully. He hid his smile in his cup once more as he watched them sizing each other up across the booth. ‘Safety in numbers and all that.’

***********

Across the bar, Kasha couldn’t help but smile in admiration.

_You sneaky bugger._

Corvis showed no sign of hearing her.

_It’s given them something to think about though._

Kasha snorted.

_And made my life just that little bit more difficult._

This time she felt his amusement, a warm ripple of humour that enfolded her like a blanket.

_That, my love, is just a fringe benefit._

Kasha turned back to the server and handed over a credit chip and took the bottle of firewater.

_You’re an evil bastard._

She could feel the humour swell and bubble as Corvis tried not to laugh openly.

_I know. It’s why you married me._

*********

On the ship Bhutara placed a plate in front of Mosh Kree and smiled as his face lit up.

‘Rycrit stew?’ he asked.

‘And munch-fungus bread.’ she said, her own face beaming at his obvious delight. She retrieved her own plate and sat down opposite him.

‘I could kiss you.’ he said and started eating.

‘I certainly hope you’ll be doing more than that later.’ Bhutara said with a smile and watched as his dark blue skin turned even darker as he blushed. It amused her to rile him up.

‘It’s good.’ he said after a few minutes focused munching. ‘I swear you make it better than my mother.’

‘Better not tell her that.’ Bhutara said. She sipped her own food, a bowl of simple broth. Her species was not given to large meals. ‘It’s the last of it though, unless we’re planning on dropping in on Ryloth any time soon.’

‘I honestly don’t know what the plan is.’ Mosh said. ‘Has she said anything to you?’

‘Just that she’s taking them to the place.’ Bhutara replied. ‘She plans on training them both.’ Mosh tore off a piece of munch-bread and dipped it in his stew.

‘Is that wise, giving them that kind of power?’ he asked and she shrugged.

‘They both already have it.’ she replied. ‘But one cannot control it because he is too busy fighting with the conflicting parts of himself and the other is far too afraid of what the consequences would be for giving up his control.’ She smiled. ‘They’re a little like two sides of a credit chip.’

‘Not the most auspicious start to a relationship.’ Mosh was grinning over his spoon.

‘It’s odd that they have never even entertained the thought.’ Bhutara said. ‘The unresolved attraction between them is quite strong.’

‘Maybe they’re both too oblivious.’ Mosh replied. 

‘Remember how much Mark and Kashyenka used to fight? It felt like this in a lot of ways, although they weren’t half as stubborn as these two will be.’ she said.

‘In that case I am extremely grateful they will be going with her and not coming with us.’ Mosh said.

*********

Hux was well underway to being drunker than he had in over a decade.

He had been quite a drinker at the Academy and in his early years as a Junior Officer, but he’d given that up when he’d advanced though the ranks and the last time he’d been close to being drunk was the inauguration of Starkiller Base. Now though, he was sitting quietly and listening to Kasha and Corvis talk to a group of three smugglers. They were human, and seemed by all accounts to be old acquaintances.

Hux decided to stay out of the conversation, and instead took the time to study the man sitting on the other side of the booth. Kylo Ren had fallen into a sullen silence, drinking steadily and appearing to be lost in his own thoughts. Hux watched his hands, fascinated by them. He had never seen Kylo’s bare hands before. They were large and graceless, the hands of someone who did not recognise his own strength. And yet, Hux found them almost endearing in their clumsiness.

He stole another glance at Kylo’s face, and that was the second thing that surprised him. The scar had healed well in the bacta tank, now a thin white line that stood out against Kylo’s olive skin which was scattered with dark marks like a miniature galaxy. His dark eyes were downcast and Hux felt an unfamiliar feeling stealing through him. It took him a while to identify what it was, but eventually he did and it sent him reeling. He was actually feeling sympathy for the man who’d been nothing but a colossal pain in his arse since the day they had met.

For the first time since he’d realised what he was, Hux was tempted to do something he’d never ever attempted. He had no idea how to do it, so he focused on the man in front of him and then let down the wall a tiny bit.

_Ren?_

He was startled to see Kylo Ren jerk visibly, his dark eyes coming up to meet his. They were full of surprise and suspicion and when he realised that the voice he’d just heard was Hux’s, Hux was hit with a wave of conflicting emotions so strong that it made his teeth ache.

_What do you want?_

Hux gritted his teeth. It felt like he was being assaulted by the emotions that surged around him. He could now see why Kylo acted the way he did. The kinds of feelings Kylo was experiencing would have driven him mad a long time ago.

_Some fresh air. And maybe to discuss this predicament we find ourselves in._

He could feel the resentment Kylo directed towards him, a bilious black cloud. Then it settled a little and underneath was a feeling of grudging agreement.

_Very well._

They stood and Corvis seemed about to ask them where they were going when Kasha laid a hand on his arm and instead he shut his mouth. Hux was pretty sure that even if they ran off into the swamp she would probably be able to find them. He was starting to realise he’d vastly underestimated her. A tiny part of him was even starting to question the validity of her capture.

They got outside and he went to stand on the walkway that ran around the main building. The night had set in and the dim yellow light from the lamps along the walkway did nothing to improve visibility. Kylo loomed out of the fog towards him and Hux leaned back against the railing.

‘Before we begin, I would like to make it quite clear that I had no idea it was going to end up like this.’ he said. ‘My plan was simply to get some assistance in making the two of us disappear until such time as I coul d be rid of you. I meant it when I said you were my insurance policy.’ He was surprise to see a look of uncertainty on Kylo’s face, and the expression made him seem awfully young.

‘I have broken with Snoke.’ he said, his deep voice barely audible. ‘My life is as much forfeit as yours right now. Niether of us can go back at this point.’ Hux was shocked by what he’d heard. The next words made it even worse. ‘I killed three of my fellow Knights and jumped ship with a woman who I don’t know and who is possibly stronger and more dangerous than what we are running from.’ He looked up at Hux. ‘I have no idea why I did it. All I can say is that for some bizarre reason, she’s the first person I’ve ever met that I think I can trust.’ Hux stared at him. He sighed and and nodded.

‘I know.’ he replied. ‘I have no idea how, but I know.’ Kylo looked at him and then he did something that Hux had never seen him do.

It wasn’t much of a smile. It was more a twitch of the corner of his mouth than anything else, but it made him seem almost normal.

‘You’re waking up.’ he said. ‘I can feel it. You’re starting to bleed out from behind that wall.’

‘I have no wish to.’ Hux said, his defensiveness coming through in his voice.

‘You have no choice.’ Kylo said. ‘To be completely honest, I am amazed at how much you’ve kept hidden.’ A flicker of something that looked a little like envy crossed his face and Hux suddenly realised just how expressive it was. ‘I could never do that. Masking myself in the Force was always impossible for me.’ Hux was astounded, but he hid it as best he could.

‘I had to.’ he found himself saying. ‘I think if my father had found out I was Force sensitive, he would have killed me himself.’ Kylo huffed.

‘I would give it all back some days.’ he said. ‘I never wanted it.’

‘Neither did I.’ Hux replied. ‘At least you know what to do with it.’

‘Not always.’ Kylo replied. ‘Sometimes it overwhelms me. I can’t always control it and I don’t have the discipline to wield it the way I should.’ He looked at Hux and saw his face. ‘What?’

‘Nothing.’ Hux said. ‘I just never thought the day would come where I’d hear Kylo Ren admit that he doesn’t know what he’s doing.’

‘Don’t call me that.’ Kylo said and Hux frowned. ‘I’m not a Knight of Ren anymore. Just call me Kylo.’

‘Very well.’ Hux said. ‘Kylo.’ There was that twitch of the mouth again. ‘So long as you don’t call me General.’

‘Deal.’ Kylo said. He moved and came to lean over the railing next to Hux. ‘So now what do we do?’

‘The way I see it we have two choices.’ Hux said. ‘We can make a break for it, but then that will simply mean more people coming after us. Or we can take Kasha up on her offer and see where this all takes us. Either way it can’t be worse than going back.’

’You’re right.’ Kylo said. He straightened up. ‘Like you said, we both feel like we can trust her.’ Another flicker. ‘Even if we don’t trust each other.’

‘Then we’re agreed?’ Hux asked. ‘We stay? For now at least.’

‘Yes.’ Kylo answered. ‘We stay.’


	11. New Impressions

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Things are starting to happen...

_Ben wandered in the dark._

_He was in that awkward stage between boy and man, his body growing far too quickly for him to catch up with. It made him clumsy and slow and the others laughed at him behind his back, joked how he was lucky he was the Master’s nephew otherwise he would never have been accepted for study. It made him incredibly angry, especially considering how Luke went out of his way to not favour him at all._

_We will show them. The voice in his head was a seductive whisper. We will show them all._

_If he had known what the voice was alluding to, Ben now wondered if he would ever have had the nerve to do what was required._

_He stood still, wrapping his arms around a body that was lanky and skinny, ducking his head. It was a habit he’d picked up to hide his height, the physically imposing bulk he was starting to develop. He hated it, almost as much as he hated his asymmetrical features and oversized ears. He couldn’t understand how his parents could be so physically attractive and yet he’d seemed to have inherited nothing of it._

_When we have finished, everyone in the galaxy will tremble in your wake. Your name alone will be enough to still their traitorous tongues._

_His mind filled with images of people in subjugation, blood and fire and the fear he would instill. It made him terribly pleased but also terribly afraid._

_That was when he heard the other voice, the voice he had craved when he was little but all too often was replaced with the voices of others._

_Ben._

_He shook his head, trying to drive it away._

_Ben, it’s your mother. Please, please come back to me._

**********

Kylo woke with a start, his skin sweat slick and his heart pounding. Then he realised that the entry chime of the door was sounding and he dragged himself out of bed to answer it, pulling on his discarded underwear. The door slid back to reveal Kasha. She was already dressed in a pair of soft grey pants and a black vest. Her hair was tied in a combat knot on the top of her head and she was barefoot. There was a bundle of clothes in her hand.

‘Good morning.’ she said, her amber eyes sharp and watchful. ‘You look like you’ve had quite a night of it.'

Kylo blushed and dropped his head, that old habit coming back in the face of her scrutiny. He hadn’t been seen like this by another person in almost fifteen years. He folded his arms across his bare chest.

‘I didn’t sleep particularly well.’ he replied. Kasha snorted.

‘They are fighting over you like a pair of vornskr.’ she said. ‘I could feel it like they were in my own head.’ She didn't need to explain who she was referring to. He knew it well enough.

‘I can normally keep it all out, especially her.’ Kylo replied. ‘But I haven’t meditated for…’ He frowned as he tried to remember.

‘About a week.’ Kasha said. ‘But there will be time for that later. She held out the clothes. ‘Get yourself washed up. We have work to do.’ Kylo took the clothes.

‘Training?’ he asked and she nodded. ‘Aren’t you going to wake Hux?’

‘Not just yet.’ she said. ‘I want to see what you can do first.’ With that she turned and the door slid closed leaving in him the dark again. Kylo sighed and turned back to the bunk.

‘Lights, fifty percent.’ He said and the darkness changed into a half light that allowed him to take in the cabin. It wasn’t unlike the accommodations on the Falcon, the metal bulkheads not being exactly conducive to a homely feel. But it was certainly more spacious and each crew member (himself included now by the looks of things) got their own cabin. The bunk was also a little longer than standard and he actually fitted into it. It was flanked by two units, one that was storage for whatever things he might own in the future and the other which contained a latrine unit and basin, both hidden behind panels that could slide back and reveal what they concealed.

Kylo dressed in the borrowed clothes, soft black pants like Kasha’s and a black undershirt. The shirt was a little loose and Kylo surmised that he was wearing Corvis’ clothes, then washed his face, rinsing his mouth out to get rid of the taste of stale firewater. He realised that other than the borrowed clothes, he was pretty much destitute in terms of belongings and cursed Hux again for not thinking far enough ahead to make sure that he had at least brought some of their things with him. But then, he had been taken as a hostage and not as companion so he supposed he shouldn’t have been all that surprised.

He finally left the cabin, walking along the cold metal floor towards where he could hear voices. The layout of the freighter was familiar enough to him that he knew exactly where the crash room would be. He stuck his head in and saw Kasha sitting in the dining booth with her feet up underneath her. She was talking to a blue skinned woman that Kylo remembered from their brief and rather inebriated introduction when they had returned to the ship as Bhutara.

They caught sight of him and Bhutara gave him a friendly smile and waved him in. Kylo walked in, automatically reaching for his one arm and rubbing it from forearm to elbow, another habit he thought he had long outgrown. But being here with actual people on this ship and without the trappings that made him a Knight of Ren, he seemed to be reverting back to what he was before and with a speed that was frankly horrifying.

‘Come eat.’ Bhutara said. She spooned out another portion of what was cooking in the pot in front of her and brought it to the table as he slid into the booth, placing the bowl and a spoon in front of him. Kylo looked at it fixedly, memories of doing this when he was a child stirring, and he bit them back. He looked at the bowl, a grain mash with what looked like honey trailed on top.

It was like a punch to the gut.

Kylo couldn’t remember the last time he had had honey. Certainly not after he’d left his old life behind.

‘Eat.’ Kasha said. She poured out a cup of pale pink liquid and handed it to him. Kylo hesitated and then reached out and took it. It was a fruit cordial of some kind that he didn’t recognise and tasted just tart enough to be pleasant. He felt his stomach twist in hunger and picked up the spoon. He took a cautious mouthful, the sweetness making him want to groan at how good it was. Instead he kept himself under control, but then he realised that they were both watching him expectantly. He swallowed.

‘It’s good.’ he said, almost a mumble. Bhutara smiled.

‘There’s more if you’re still hungry after that.’ she said and came to join Kasha on her side of the booth. Kasha moved to make room for her, and Bhutara folded her silky iridescent kaftan around her body and sat down.

Kylo snuck a look at her. She was a species he didn’t recognise and it was impossible to tell her age. They ate in silence until they were all finished and Bhutara got up to collect the bowls.

‘I will get dinner from the cantina tonight.’ she said. ‘Our supplies are running low, and we left in a bit of a rush.’

‘There’s a commerce planet in the next system.’ Kasha said. ‘We can get kit for these two there and top up the food and other things.’ She looked at Kylo. ‘You may want to do a quick inventory of what you’ve got and what you need.’ Kylo lifted his head, confusion on his face.

‘I don’t have anything.’ he said.

‘You do.’ Kasha replied. ‘Hux bought some of your things.’ Her eyes were serious. ‘Although the only thing of his that he bought was Millicent. I must confess I am curious as to what he thought was so important in that box that he needed to bring it.’ She watched as her words sank in and Kylo felt a little jolt go through him. he hadn’t been aware that Hux had done that, he certainly hadn’t mentioned it.

‘What box?’ he asked, his voice low. Bhutara looked at Kasha.

‘Show him.’ she said. ‘I’ll clean up here.’

***********

They were in the rear cargo hold and the box was now at his feet, an unprepossessing black metal cargo crate that made his stomach lurch just to look at it.

‘Was he wrong to bring it?’ Kasha asked. Kylo knelt down and ran his hand over the surface of the lid.

‘The things inside here belong to someone who’s dead.’ he said.

‘Not all of him.’ Kasha replied. ‘What’s in it?’ Kylo closed his eyes momentarily, remembering the day he’d taken off the things he’d worn as a Jedi, putting them inside and away forever, or so he’d thought.

‘Why?’ he murmured. ‘Of all the things, why this?’

Who knows?’ Kasha said. ‘Things happen for the oddest reasons.’ She folded her arms. ‘Do you know who my father is?’ Kylo stood up and looked at her.

‘No.’ he said. ‘Should I?’

‘I've told you his name was BoShek.’ Kasha said. ‘He was a smuggler and a spy for the rebellion.’ Her mouth twitched. ‘But he’s also the man that set things in motion if you like.’

‘I don’t understand.’ Kylo said as she started to walk out the hold. He followed her and she lead him to the fore hold and opened the door. Kylo was surprised to see it was empty save for a collection of training mats on the floor. He walked inside after her. ‘What do you mean?’

‘As I told you, my father is Force sensitive, but it’s very much undeveloped.’ Kasha said. ‘He operates in a completely different way to us. He has feelings and visions and that’s pretty much all he’s really used it for except that he’s a lot like Hux and has taught himself to mask his Force signature so no-one ever really caught onto who he was and what he could do. It allowed him to get into situations that no-one else could. He was stationed on the Death Star and your grandfather walked right by him and didn’t pick up a thing.’ Kylo felt a momentary flash of annoyance as he remembered a traitorous Stormtrooper standing in the snow and wielding his grandfather’s light sabre like he had been trained. ‘Well, one day he had a vision. It told him to get his ass to Tatooine. So he did and he was sitting in the cantina when an old man came up to him. He told me once that he was astounded by what he felt. It was power like nothing he’d experienced before. And then a vision had come down on him like an electric storm. He’d suspected that he’d been bought there to fulfil some sort of mission and that was when the man asked if he knew any pilots who would be willing to transport himself, a boy and two droids to Alderaan.’ Kylo stared at her, astounded. He’d never heard that story before.

‘So what did he do?’ he asked, even though he already knew the answer.

‘He said that for a second he was going to tell the old man that he would take the job. Then it was like something reached out and directed his eyes to someone else. A man seated at the back of the cantina trying to wrangle his way out a sticky situation, and just like that he knew that he wasn’t meant to take this job. He was only there to facilitate. So he looked behind the old man and caught the eye of the Wookiee standing at the bar and called him over. The rest, as they say, is history.’ Kasha moved and took her place on the mats. ‘Kind of funny when you think about what’s happening right now.’ Kylo didn’t know what to say. He couldn’t believe what he’d just heard.

‘They never told me.’ he said. ‘Either of them.’

‘They probably would have once they understood it themselves.’ Kasha said. ‘But by then you’d slaughtered a group of defenceless children and run off.’ Kylo looked at her sharply, his stomach lurching as she voiced his crime completely dispassionately.

‘You know?’ he asked.

‘Of course I know.’ she said. ‘But that was you in another life. You can’t change the past Kylo. I said that before. All you can do is atone for it and hope it’s enough to save yourself.’ Her mouth quirked at the corner. ‘You’re like me. Too bad to be good and too good to be bad.’

‘I don’t know how you can say that.’ He replied. ‘Knowing what I did…’

‘Doesn’t change my mind about helping you. I don’t care who you were. I care who you’re going to become. You’re not the first Jedi to fall to the dark side and you won’t be the last.’ She raised both hands and beckoned to him. ‘Now come here and show me what kind of moves you’ve got.’

*********

Hux woke up slowly and luxuriated in the strange sense of freedom it gave him. His entire existence had been structured since he was ten years old and he’d never really been able to feel what it was like to not have to get up, to not have things to do. Then he heard something and shifted in his bunk, Millicent a warm weight on his back. He normally slept on his stomach and she had a habit of nestling into the curve of his spine.

It took a while for him to recognise the sound for what it was and then the memories came flooding back. He’d always loved the sound of the rain. Arkanis was given to grey wet weather, the vegetation always in a state of green lushness from all the moisture. The grey stone of the Academy had always been covered in mossy outgrowths and the formal gardens almost perpetually shrouded in mist. Hux had secretly loved it. He lay and listened to the rain falling on the hull of the ship. Millicent sensed he was awake and climbed off of him and Hux turned onto his side so she could come curl against his chest, her purr a soft vibration as he ran his fingers through her fur.

He stretched a little and then heard his stomach growl. He wasn’t as hungover as he’d expected to be, but then he’d always been good at handling his drink. He sat up slowly, and Millicent mewed in protest. Hux smiled and petted her ears and she curled into a ball and flicked her tail at him as he got out the bed.

A quick set of ablutions and he got dressed, ready to face the day. He ran his hand over his face, grimacing at the coat of ginger stubble that was now far too long for his liking. That, along with his hair which had completely reverted to its natural state of being soft and falling in his eyes, made him look like a completely different person when he checked his reflection in the mirror above the basin.

Hux hardly recognised himself, and he huffed and ran one hand through his hair. He missed his uniform, his shaving kit and pomade, which he bought especially from Arkanis. It had a subtle green scent that reminded him of home. Instead he was in a set of clothes taken off a dead smuggler and he hadn’t had a decent wash in almost a week.

He left the cabin and walked down in search of the others. There was now sound, but when he went into the crash room he found Bhutara cleaning the cooking area.

‘Good morning, Hux.’ she said. ‘Did you sleep well?’

‘I did.’ he replied, remembering his manners. ‘Thank you.’

‘I have made breakfast.’ Bhutara said. ‘Sit down.’

Hux moved to sit where she indicated, but as he was about to take his seat, a muffled yell echoed throughout the ship. It sounded rather like Kylo and he gave Bhutara a questioning look.

‘Kasha and Kylo are sparring.’ she said by way of explanation. ‘I’d say that it’s a draw judging from the noises.’ She caught the expression of blatant curiosity that Hux wasn’t quite quick enough to hide. ‘They’re in the fore cargo hold.’ Her smile was conspiratorial. ‘Go. It will still be warm when you get back.’

Hux left her and walked out the crash room and headed to the source of the noises on the other side of the ship. He got to the door and activated the locking mechanism and it slid open. Not a second later, as his heart started to beat in a rhythm he’d almost forgotten it could, Hux wished he hadn’t.

A black undershirt lay discarded on the floor and Hux could hardly stop staring at Kylo’s shirtless form. He had no idea someone that large and seemingly clumsy could move so gracefully, every parry and strike fluid and beautifully realised. Not only that but Kylo was built like a fighter, his shoulders impossibly broad and every line of pale muscle sheened with sweat. Somewhere along the way, he’d obtained something to pull his hair back off his face and tie it in a knot at the back of his head. A thousand tiny details surged through Hux’s brain. Like the fact that the tiny dark marks on Kylo’s face were mirrored on his skin, that there was surprisingly little hair on his arms and stomach and almost none on that beautifully sculpted chest. He saw how Kylo’s large dark eyes were perfectly focused on his opponent, his face a mask of concentration. Kylo caught sight of him and his eyes widened in surprise. It was enough for him to lose his focus and then next thing, Kasha caught him with a Force push that threw him up against the bulkhead, pinning him there.

And still those dark eyes didn’t leave Hux’s now burning face. He could almost see the question in them.

It was too much. Hux turned and stormed out the hold, shutting the door behind him.

**********

Kasha watched Hux go and chuckled. She turned back to Kylo, feeling his annoyance at being held prone flare into anger.

‘Let me kriffing go.’ he snarled. ‘Using the Force is cheating.’ She released him and he dropped unceremoniously to the floor.

‘First rule of being a Grey Jedi.’ she said. ‘There are no rules and cheating is entirely permitted.’

‘That’s ridiculous.’ Kylo said, stumbling to his feet. ‘Without rules you have nothing but anarchy.’ Kasha smiled and readied herself for the next strike.

‘Now you’re starting to get it.’ she said and attacked.


	12. Don't Look

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Things are hapening and neither of them know what to do with it.

They sparred until Kylo’s body ached from the pull in his side. In spite of that he felt good, felt like himself again. Fighting had been the only thing he’d been really good at when he was a Paduwan, although Luke had often chastised him for being too rough, for using his size too enthusiastically and hurting some of the others. It had frustrated him and made him angry to know that he was being told not to take advantage of something that he could use to make sure he always won. When he’d turned, Snoke had encouraged him in this and told him that his gifts had frightened his uncle. That Luke had wanted to control him.

_You are a creature of great power. He fears that you will surpass him in all things._

He’d been proud and he’d followed and he’d fallen.

Kasha looked at him, her face thoughtful. Kylo dropped his head and focused on the food in front of them. They were eating, having taken a break. He was ravenous and Bhutara had seemed delighted that he’d eaten his first bowl of stew without stopping and happily dished him a second that he was now steadily churning through. It was a novel thing for him and Kylo couldn’t help the small smile he gave her when she handed it to him. Kasha had told him that Bhutara was pretty much the ship’s cook, her skills being far superior to anyone else’s.

He savoured the stew. He had memories tucked away still of his mother cooking and, on a couple of disastrous occasions, his father. The food at their home had always been good and he had always had enough. Then he’d gone to train with Luke and self-discipline had become the mantra that was embedded from the very first day. How to control the things inside him, resist the temptation to ask for more.

Luke had been raised a farmer’s son and his life as a Jedi afterwards had created a tendency to view things like food as a requirement. It could be pleasant but nutritional content was more important and Kylo had missed the food he’d eaten in his parents’ home. He’d never complained though, knowing that self-sacrifice was the way of the Jedi. Then puberty had hit and he’d started growing, and he’d been constantly hungry. He’d stubbornly refused to ask for more to eat, thinking it would make him a better Paduwan.

It hadn’t. All it had done was make him angrier.

‘You think about the past too much.’ Kasha said and he frowned.

‘Don’t do that.’ he said. ‘I don’t want you digging around in my head.’

‘I’m not in your head.’ she replied. ‘You’ve spent so long being the only Force user in your close proximity that you have no idea how to mask. Or retain your feelings for that matter. You bleed out all over the place.’

‘I’ve never had to hide.’ he said.

‘Well, now you will need to.’ Kasha said. ‘Letting people know that you’re a Force-user can be very very dangerous and give them an advantage that they can use against you.’ Kylo snorted and her eyes narrowed. ‘When we’re done here, we’re going to change tack. Do something else.’

‘What?’ Kylo asked, suddenly suspicious. Kasha grinned.

‘Try and see.’ she said.

Kylo looked at her, hiding his glee. Telepathic intrusion was something he was incredibly well-versed in. he’d always been good at reading others, it came to him almost effortlessly. He focused and, to his surprise, Kasha let him in. Her mind was astonishing in its quiet. Kylo flailed around a little as he tried to establish a hold and then something reached out and steadied him.

_Keep hold of me._

Their eyes met. Kasha’s were doing that strange iridescence thing again, like they were being lit up from within and Kylo could feel the Force flowing through her and into him. It had a quality he’d never felt before, not quite serenity. It was like he could feel the power underneath it that was being held in check, but it was a natural power like molten rock spilling out of a tear in a planet’s surface.

_You’re strong._

Kasha smiled.

_So are you. But you don’t trust yourself._

Kylo frowned a little. He had never thought that, in fact his power had been the one thing he did trust completely. Or at least he thought he did.

_You said you were going to show me what we will be doing._

Kasha grinned. It was fierce. Then she showed him the image in her mind and Kylo almost growled in response.

************

Hux was hiding.

After the embarrassing scene at the door of the hold, he’d decided to keep himself well out of the way of the obnoxious brat that was now plaguing his thoughts. Corvis and Mosh were working on the ship’s shield generator again to get them back up to full capacity and Hux had volunteered to help them. So now he was in a sub-floor engineering compartment in the aft drive compartment, his sleeves rolled up and component fluid all over his hands, its silicon smell permeating his clothes and hair.

Bizarrely it made him happier than he’d been for a very long time. The last time he’d been this happy was when he’d closeted himself in his office for a week while he drew up the plans for Starkiller. Ut then life had been simpler, and Hux was able to let himself get lost in his work. That had been before Kylo kriffing Ren had walked into his life and wrecked everything.

Just thinking about him made images of swathes of pale muscled back and thick black-brown hair tied in a knot to reveal the nape of Kylo’s neck invade his mind. Hux gritted his teeth and forced himself to concentrate on what he was doing. He went back to what he was doing, and it seemed to work. The churning in his gut evened out and he was starting to get back into the swing of things until he realised that the power coupling he needed was not on the floor next to him. Hux cursed under his breath and resigned himself to the fact that he would have to haul himself out of the compartment to get it.

Then he heard footsteps. Assuming it was Corvis coming to check on the progress he was making, Hux took the opportunity to delegate.

‘The power coupling by your feet.’ he said when the footsteps came to a halt. ‘I need it.’ He held up one hand imperiously, not really caring that he was talking to the captain of the ship. He waited until he felt the tool being placed in his hand and tightened his grip on it. But when he tried to bring it down in front of him, he realised that Corvis was still holding onto it. ‘For kriff’s sake, Corvis stop buggering around.’ He looked up.

It was not Corvis.

The eyes that were looking down at him were not as dark as he’d thought. In the Finaliser the lighting was always an ambient glow and Hux realised that it had hidden a lot of things. They were actually a lot lighter, a rich mossy brown that reflected the light.

They were also quite beautiful.

Hux’s automatic response kicked in and he tugged on the power coupling.

‘Give it to me.’ He demanded and Kylo’s dark eyebrows drew down. He didn’t release the tool. In fact his grip actually tightened.

‘No.’ he said. ‘You didn’t even say please.’

The thought that he was being lectured on manners by Snoke’s guard dog struck Hux as so preposterous that he actually snorted with derisive laughter.

‘Are you honestly expecting me to waste my breath on being polite to someone who thinks social niceties include chopping up people into tiny pieces?’ he sneered and tugged back. Kylo held on stubbornly.

‘You are such a pompous ass.’ he said. ‘I actually came by to say thank you, but now I don’t think I’ll bother.’ He yanked very hard on the power coupling and Hux lurched in his direction. He hauled back in retaliation but then Kylo let go and Hux ended up falling over on his backside.

‘You bastard!’ he raged up at him and then he noticed something truly disturbing.

Kylo kriffing Ren was smiling. And this time it had actual teeth. It also made his eyes crinkle and Hux felt a sickening falling sensation in his stomach.

‘How did I not manage to kill you for six years?’ Kylo said. ‘You are probably the most annoying person I have ever met.’

‘That’s entirely rich coming from the man who spent his entire time aboard the Finalizer making my life one long drudge of damage reports and complaints from whoever you decided to throttle that week.’ Hux snapped. ‘Why are you even here?’

‘I told you.’ Kylo sounded frustrated. Hux watched in astonishment as he reached up and ran one hand through his thick dark hair. ‘I came to say thank you. Not that you deserve it I’m starting to think.’

‘What in the galaxy are you even prattling on about?’ Hux gritted out.

‘You bought my things.’ Kylo said. Hux was momentarily thrown.

‘What?’ he asked, not sure he was hearing properly.

‘You bought my things.’ Kylo said. ‘But you didn’t bring anything of yours except that stupid cat.’ His brown eyes were wary. ‘Why did you do that?’

‘I have no idea.’ Hux was on the back foot. He looked away from the intense stare. ‘It seemed like a good idea at the time.’ He went back to the power board, trying to ignore the man watching him. He felt like he could feel Kylo’s eyes boring into his back.

‘Come on.’ Kylo said. Hux ignored him. ‘Hey.’

‘WHAT?’ Hux turned and stopped dead when he saw the outstretched hand. He stared at it, completely at a loss.

‘Kasha wants us.’ he said.

‘What for?’ Hux asked, his brain still trying to catch up to what he was seeing.

‘Meditation.’ Kylo said, waving the hand at him. ‘Now come on, before she kicks our asses.’ Hux hesitated.

Then he reached out and took the hand.

Kylo grunted and hauled him out of the compartment and Hux had to bite his lip to stifle the noise of surprise. The man was ridiculously strong.

‘Thank you.’ he said stiffly.

‘Don’t mention it.’ Kylo said and stomped off out the room. ‘And I mean that literally!’ This last was shouted from the corridor.

‘Bastard.’ Hux muttered and followed him.

An hour later he wished he hadn’t.

Hux did not believe in mysticism and spirituality and religion. He believed in science and calculations and engineering. Mediation had sounded relaxing and he’d given up his scepticism in the face of Kasha’s blatant refusal to allow him to, as she put it, ‘weasel out of it’. Not that Hux even knew what a weasel was.

That idea of spending a couple of soothing hours breathing deeply had even held some appeal. However, that was turning out to be a massive misconception. Sweat was running down his back under the overly large loose shirt that had been foisted on him and Hux wanted to wrinkle his nose at his own smell.

_Focus._

He opened his eyes and glared at Kasha. They were all in the hold, sitting cross legged on the training mats. She glared back, and Hux snorted and closed his eyes again.

‘This is ridiculous.’ he said.

‘Shut up Hux.’ Kylo said evenly and it grated him enormously that the ex-knight was able to slip into that controlled space so easily especially considering he lacked control in every other part of his existence.

‘Shut up yourself.’ he retorted, slipping into a childish comeback that he hadn’t used since he was in the Academy.

‘Be quiet both of you!’ Kasha was starting to sound a little unhinged. ‘Let’s go back to the beginning. Kylo, I want you to focus on Hux’s wall. See it, feel it. Take note of how impenetrable he’s made it.’

Kylo gave a huge sigh. Hux braced himself mentally, a smug pride filling him. Kasha had been making Kylo try and unmask him in the Force but every attempt had been met with failure. He snuck a peek at Kylo and saw how he was frowning. Then it started. It felt like someone had a tiny chisel and was trying to scrape away at the mortar that held his wall strong.

 _That is pathetic._ Hux stifled a smile. Kasha’s tone was scathing.

 _I am not used to it. It’s hard._ Kylo sounded ever so slightly whiny and Hux decided to put the boot in.

_Not so all powerful now, are we?_

The howl came almost as soon as he’d finished throwing the words out. Hux was momentarily distracted and then it came, like a shot from a laser cannon.

It broke right through his defences and then it was like there was a whirlwind in his head, Kylo’s intrusion raking through his thoughts. Hux let out an angry shout and threw the wall back up as hard as he could. It thankfully took and he felt a very deep sense of satisfaction at the flare of pain he picked up from Kylo.

_AND STAY OUT!_

He delivered the parting shot and then opened his eyes. Kylo was looking at him, his face full of something Hux couldn’t read. There was blood trailing from his nose and Hux watched as Kylo lifted his hand and wiped it off then looked at it in astonishment.

‘Well done, Hux.’ Kasha sounded pleased and when Hux turned his gaze to hers he saw approval gleaming in her eyes. ‘That is how you get someone out.’ She looked at Kylo. ‘Your turn.’

‘NO.’ Kylo’s voice was harsh. ‘Not today.’ He was staring at Hux with unconcealed hostility and what looked like…no that couldn’t be. He got up off the mat and stalked to the door, slamming the control to open it and stomping out. They watched the door slide closed and then Kasha leaned back on her hands.

‘Now isn’t that interesting?’ she said, a small smile playing about her lips.

‘What? That he’s barely capable of having an adult interaction without behaving like a spoiled child when things don’t go his way?’ Hux replied. ‘You’ll get used to it.’

‘You could be a little nicer to him.’ Kasha said. ‘He’s dealing with things you don‘t understand.’

‘I’m sure.’ Hux snorted. ‘May I remind you I am the one running for his life?’

‘I think right now, that both of you are equally in danger.’ Kasha said. ‘They didn’t send the Knights for you, Hux. They would have killed you without a thought.’ She looked serious. ‘But they wanted him back. Do you have any idea what they would do to him?’

Hux felt a twinge at that. He remembered that tiny glimpse he’d gotten from Snoke, the little bit of feedback of a Ren who’d lost any semblance of his humanity.

‘I will try to be civil.’ he replied.

‘Thank you.’ Kasha said. ‘Now, let’s start getting you to open up a bit shall we?’

********

Kylo crashed into the ship’s refresher, sealing the door behind him. He stumbled to the basin and wet his face, the cold water clearing his head a little.

Who knew what had lain behind that wall?

He’d been overcome with excitement when he’d finally smashed his way through Hux’s wall, driven by his smug assurance that Kylo would not be able to do such a thing. He ploughed into Hux’s thoughts with absolutely no finesse.

He had only caught glimpses of things, memories and thoughts that hadn’t made too much sense to him. There had been things from the Finalizer, Snoke and himself. There had also been images of a green planet, misty fields and the smell of mud. After that were some other memories that were newer, brighter. Kylo has seen himself in a bacta tank, a desert planet and the strange green eyes of Hux’s cat that were so similar to his own. Then he’d run smack into something that took his breath away and had weakened his hold on Hux’s mind enough for Hux to kick him out so hard it had made his nose bleed. Kylo wasn’t sure what had shocked him more, the fact that Hus was actually extremely strong or the fact that the feelings Kylo had stumbled across suggested something else entirely to the hostility Hux subjected him to on a daily basis.

He had little experience with relationships, or anything resembling them. He’d lost his virginity in a ritual orgy that involved other acolytes of Snoke’s, but it had meant little to him. He had had infrequent encounters with people that had been purchased for the purpose of pleasuring him by Snoke when he was younger, but there had been nothing since the day he’d set foot on Starkiller.

If he was being completely honest, anytime Kylo had felt an urge to deal with himself, it had been a pair of haughty green eyes that he’d been thinking about. That was why he’d been so taken aback to find that single flash of memory, so new it was almost brilliant in its clarity.

It was of him, that morning when Hux had briefly appeared at the door of the hold. Kylo felt what Hux had felt upon seeing him sparring with Kasha. It was subtle, almost not there unless you knew what to look for. He honed in on it, that tiny flash of heat and lust that had unsettled him so badly. The worst part was that the longer he looked at it, the more unsure about its validity Kylo became. Hux couldn’t want him like that. He’d expressed nothing but contempt bordering on hatred for Kylo for the past six years.

Kylo leaned against the basin and put his face in his hands. This was all getting far too much.


	13. A Visitor

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> BoShek arrives on the planet and is not happy with what he finds.

_Kylo was back on the planet again, but this time his dream had placed him on a platform of black stone. He was still in his borrowed smuggler clothes, his shirt sleeves rolled up past the elbow and undone at the neck to let the heat in. He could see trees and fields stretched out before him and the snow was long gone. Instead the fields were covered in thick grasses that rippled like a sea in the breeze coming from the ridge that he’d stood on the first time he dream walked with Kasha. He closed his eyes and inhaled deeply, getting the combined scents of resin, herb and sun warmed stone. The sun was warm on his face, but not hot and it was so pleasant Kylo felt like he could lie down there on the ground and just bask for hours. Space was so cold all the time and Starkiller hadn’t been much better._

_The sound of footsteps caught his attention and he opened his eyes and looked at the person who had come to stand next to him. At first Kylo thought it was Kasha, but this woman was taller even if her pale skin and red hair were the same. She was wearing a matt black flight suit that clung to her generous curves and he noticed that she was wearing a lightsaber at her belt, the same lightsabre that Kasha had given him to fight with and then taken away on their trip to the swamp planet. The woman turned to look at him, her blue-grey eyes fixing on him. Kylo could feel a sense of deep seated conflict coming from her and he started as he realised that it was an echo of what he felt inside._

_‘So much power.’ she said, the corner of her mouth lifting in a sardonic smile. ‘And absolutely no idea what to do with it.’ She looked back at the vista and shook her head. ‘I’ve said it once and I’ll say it again. The man who calls himself your master is nothing but a charlatan. He hasn’t even bothered to train you correctly.’_

_Kylo stared at her profile. Kasha looked at lot like her, although the woman’s build was taller and more elegant than Kasha’s._

_‘You’re Mara Jade.’ he said. ‘Aren’t you supposed to be dead?’ Mara snorted a laugh._

_‘Yes, I am.’ she replied. ‘But my daughter seems to have got herself into a situation here. I just hope that she can make something of you two no hopers.’ She gave Kylo an appraising look. ‘Palpatine would have taken one look at you and rejected you out of hand, you know that? Even he knew when a fight would be too much effort.’ Kylo stared at her, realising that this was a person who’d been what he craved first hand._

_‘Did you ever meet my grandfather?’ he asked._

_‘More times than I wanted to.’ Mara said. ‘You are disturbingly like him. When he was Anakin Skywalker.’ Kylo felt a perverse pride fill him, and he turned away to hide his smile. Mara watched him. ‘That is not a compliment, Kylo Ren.’_

_‘He was powerful.’ Kylo said. ‘He would have cared.’_

_‘Maybe.’ Mara replied. ‘Chances are you would have been disappointed.’ She sighed. ‘But I feel that you being here means you are in a better place to understand yourself and overcome the pride that was his downfall.’ She gave him that half-smile again. ‘You are not as far gone as you would like to believe. Especially after killing your father.’ Kylo’s face darkened and he looked away._

_‘He deserved it.’ he muttered. ‘He was never there for me.’ Mara laughed and Kylo looked at her._

_‘And there he is.’ she said, her eyes now twinkling. ‘Now, I am going to find my daughter. We need to have a conversation.’ The smile grew wider. ‘A lot of interesting things are coming.’_

_‘Like what?’ Kylo found himself asking. Mara didn’t answer. Instead she gestured at the wall of the zigurrat behind them and Kylo saw a doorway open. He stared at it, the darkness inside seeming to pull him in. He turned back to ask her where the door led and saw that she had vanished._

_He walked towards the doorway and peered inside. In front of him was a staircase of the same black stone, leading down into darkness. Kylo had been in plenty of dark places before, and he ventured forward without fear. The doorway closed behind him and a series of floor lights came on, illuminating the stairs with a dim glow reminiscent of the inside of a starship._

_He walked down the stairs, his boots thudding dully on the uncovered stone. The air here was chilled, but still fresh. Kylo thought briefly of the citadel and its air that smelled like it had been dead for centuries. He walked for what seemed like age and then he was suddenly in a long space. It was like a hall, but completely empty of anything, except for a series of doors. He started walking towards the end and stopped outside one of them. He raised his hand to the door and felt warmth emanating from inside. He pressed the door control panel and it slid open noiselessly and Kylo walked inside._

_The chamber was huge, stark in its simplicity. There was an open fireplace at one end with a fore already burning in it, and Kylo couldn’t help smiling at the antiquated feature. Next to it was a door and he glimpsed a room in shadow. There was a series of massive windows that ran floor to ceiling on the far wall and he could see out. To his surprise it was now dark outside, the sky lit up by two small moons. Other than that there was no illumination at all. He walked in and saw the bed that had been constructed against the wall on his right. It was dressed in dark bedlinen and Kylo approached, noting the massive size of it. It was a far cry from the cramped regulation bed he’d occupied on the Finalizer, not the he was given to sleep. As he approached he noticed something else, something that made his heart beat faster and his face heat up._

_Kylo came to the edge and sat down. For a moment he just looked, admiring the reflection of the firelight off pale freckled shoulders and hair that gleamed every bit as brightly as the flames did. The warmth in the room was pleasant enough that when he finally reached out and placed one hand on the shoulder closest to him, he got a hiss of sharply indrawn breath and a shiver. Kylo luxuriated in the skin on skin contact, sliding his hand down the elegantly muscled arm. There was a galaxy of light tan freckles, and he traced them with his fingertips._

_‘Your hand is cold.’ Hux’s voice was sleep rough. ‘Have you been outside?’_

_‘Just for a while.’ Kylo replied. The whole situation felt so surreal and yet so strangely familiar to him, like it had already happened._

_‘Then come back to bed and I’ll warm you up.’ Hux said and shifted, moving deeper into the covers. The statement was made like inviting Kylo into his bed was something that Hux did every day._

_Kylo found himself unable to stop smiling. He stood up and started to pull his shirt off._

********

There were no noises outside the cabin when Kylo started awake, heart pounding from what he’d just experienced. He should have been prepared for it and berated himself for losing control enough that it was affecting him. It certainly wasn’t unusual for there to be some bleeding through when he penetrated someone’s mind. However, this was the first time it had resulted in something like this.

He knew where it was coming from. The dip into Hux’s mind the day before was definitely having an effect and not one that was turning out to be unpleasant either. Kylo turned onto his back and stared at the top of his bunk. He’d harboured mixed feelings for the prissy little general for some time, torn between admiring him deeply and absolutely hating him. Now he was just starting to realise that they were apparently more deeply embedded than before and seeming to be taking a strange turn. He took a deep breath, focusing and stilling the feelings inside him. The meditation the day before had worked, taking off the edge of his frustration and the warmth he’d felt in the dream was still rippling through him, strangely relaxing.

From the lack of noise, Kylo surmised that some of the other occupants had yet to get up, although Bhutara was probably already moving around the ship. She seemed to exist on only the barest amount of sleep. He reached out with his mind and felt around, doing so tentatively like he was still a Paduwan trying things out.

He found Corvis and Kasha asleep, their minds twined together. Kylo wondered at that. His parents had only occasionally felt like this, and the closeness between them made him a little jealous. It reminded him of the times when he’d felt like a loose end to their relationship. He had always harboured a suspicion that he was not a planned for baby, that he’d been an oversight. Leia and Han had had an unusual dynamic, spending large stretches of time apart and then coming back together in a flurry of intensity. He had often felt that there wasn’t enough room for him.

For some reason that bought back a memory of giant paws and the warmth of a massive hairy body, and Kylo felt the sickening tightening of his guts as his mind conjured up an image of him as a child, sitting in Chewbacca’s lap while his parents had one of their ‘reunions’ on the Falcon. The Wookie was the one who’d taught him the rudimentaries of flying and Kylo had picked it up quickly. He had loved his Wookie uncle deeply. Part of him had wished that he could have stayed with him on the Falcon rather than being sent away. But like everyone else, Chewbacca had let him go without a fight. And the last time they’d seen each other, he’d blown a hole in Kylo’s side that he could have put his fist through. That much he remembered. That thought brought an emotion he hadn’t felt in more than a few years.

Regret.

Kylo knew he couldn’t go back, couldn’t change what had happened. But this was the first time he was starting to feel like all his choices had not been in his own interests. Everything was such a mess, and he felt more out of touch and aimless than he had when he was still a Paduwan.

There was only one thing that was still familiar, still something he was comfortable with.

Kylo reached out hesitantly. Hux’s mind wasn’t too far away, and he brushed it so lightly that at first he didn’t think that it had even registered on Hux’s formidable defences. He started to retreat back into himself, and then something happened that made him unreasonably happy.

Hux’s response was even softer than his initial overture. It drifted over his consciousness like the barest air current, but it was enough. Kylo tried a little more, the equivalent of a hand on an arm.

_Hux?_

He felt something that was like a mental sigh.

_Yes Ren?_

Kylo lay and considered what he should say. Eventually he went with the truth.

_I am sorry about yesterday. About breaking in like that. I shouldn’t have pushed so hard._

There was no response and for a moment Kylo thought he’d gone too far. But then there was a shift and an easing of the barrier that kept him out.

_It’s all right. I’m not angry with you. It was just a shock, that’s all._

Kylo rested one wrist on his forehead.

_I know. I was….trying to prove a point._

He felt something and realised that it was a wave of dry humour.

_As you so often do, Ren._

The sarcasm made him smile.

_If I promise not to come in uninvited, will you meditate with me again?_

Kylo didn’t know why he asked that. He just knew that he was feeling better than he could ever remember and that the dream and the interaction with Hux had been a driving force in that. He could have forced his way in at any time, but he knew now that Hux would have no compunction about booting him out again.

_I suppose so._

The lack of refusal made Kylo smile and he had to stifle the wave of happiness in case Hux felt it. In truth he had no idea why he was reacting this way.

_Liar. You know._

That was not Hux. Kylo sighed as he felt him slip away like a shadow.

_Good morning, Kasha. I hope like kriff he didn’t hear you say that._

Her mental chuckle was warm.

_So the infamous Kylo Ren has a little crush? It’s actually surpsingly sweet._

There something about the way she said it, that made Kylo take note.

 _You knew._ He tried not to make it too accusatory.

_Of course I did. The whole damn ship can see the way you two dance around each other. And we’ve only known you for a week._

Kylo huffed.

_Well, I’m not some sort of cheap entertainment. And what do you mean ‘we’?_

_You know what I mean. You know what you found yesterday when you went blundering around in his head. You couldn’t get away fast enough._

That brought Kylo down to the ground with a bump.

_Kriff. Does he know that I know?_

Kasha snorted.

_You speak in riddles child. And no, the good general is blissfully ignorant to the fact that you know he wants to get into your pants. Just like you want to get into his._

That was even worse. Kylo had always wanted a sibling when he was a child, envying the other children he’d interacted with who had had them. But now he was experiencing what it was like to have a smug older sister and finding out he didn’t much care for it.

_I don’t want to get into is pants, as you so crudely put it._

_Ha! Like kriff you don’t._

And on that note, she disappeared from his head, leaving him even more confused than he had been before.

‘Bloody hell.’ he muttered and turned over.

***********

The next time he awoke it was to the sounds of shouting.

Kylo sat up, rubbing his eyes and blinking sleepily. Since being in the bacta tank, he had found that he had slept more in past two days than he had in the past two years.

The shouts grew in volume, moving past the door of his cabin and towards the crash room. Overcome with curiosity, Kylo got up. He washed and dressed, briefly contemplating the light stubble that now covered his jaw. He was thankful that his facial hair wasn’t as thick as some. It might even be a useful disguise. He also spent a short time examining the scar that ran across his face, starting above his left eyebrow, traversing the bridge of his nose and stopping in in line with the right corner of his mouth. It was starting to fade already, the bacta having done its job, and was now white against his olive skin although the edges were still an angry pink.

It changed the look of his previously youthful face. For the first time, Kylo started to notice things. It had been fifteen years since he’d seen the man called Han Solo and that moment on the bridge had been enough to burn his face into Kylo’s memory.

He hadn’t realised just how much he’d grown to look like his father. It shocked him. All except the eyes. His dark hazel eyes that were the same as his mother’s.

Kylo sighed and then left the cabin. The moment he stepped out the door, he could hear Kasha’s voice as well as another older male one that reverberated throughout the ship, the Corellian accent unmistakeable. He walked through the crew corridor and turned to enter the living areas.

The scene in front of him was astonishingly domestic. Corvis was standing to one side, hand to his mouth to hide his smile. A rather perturbed looking Hux was seated in the booth, chin in his hand and watching the two shouters. He looked over as Kylo came into the room, raising one copper eyebrow and nodding almost imperceptibly in the direction of the two people who were now adding gesticulations to their raised voices.

He took in the sight before him. The man arguing with Kasha was tall and angular, but there was something about the way he held himself and the shape of his nose which spoke of a family resemblance. This was further substantiated by the identical way they were standing and getting in each other’s faces.

‘Of all the mynock-brained schemes you could come up with, this is the worst!’ the man yelled, waving his hands. Kylo noted his grey hair and weathered face, seeing the same strong features that were echoed in all Corellians. He was in a black and white flight suit which was travel stained. He looked, in short, thoroughly disreputable.

‘I am almost forty cycles old, BoShek!’ Kasha yelled back. ‘You don’t get to tell me when you think I’ve kriffed up anymore!’

‘I am your father!’ BoShek thundered. ‘There is no statute of limitations on when I think you’re being an idiot!’ He suddenly caught sight of Kylo and pointed at him accusingly. ‘And harbouring General Organa’s delinquent Knight of Ren patricidal son is being an idiot in the extreme! To say nothing of that fact that you’re also currently hiding the galaxy’s most wanted genocidal maniac!’

‘Please, don’t hold back!’ Kasha hissed. ‘Say what you really mean!’ Her sarcasm could have cut through carbonite. BoShek threw up his hands and glared at Corvis.

‘Your wife is impossible!’ he raged. Corvis gave him a lazy shrug.

‘She was your daughter before she was my wife.’ he pointed out.

‘Shut up both of you!’ Kasha shouted. ‘I will not have you come in here and lecture me on galactic politics. And I absolutely forbid you to tell the Rebellion or anyone else for that matter where they are!’

‘Oh, don’t worry about that.’ BoShek said. He shook his head. ‘I am not getting involved with this. I am going home to put my feet up and kiss my wife and play with your half-sisters and hide out until this shit is done with.’

‘You can’t.’ Kasha said. ‘Bhutara’s made food.’ They regarded each other like two angry nexus.

‘Fine.’ BoShek huffed. ‘I’ll leave after lunch.’

They glared at each other for a few more moments and then completely surprised Kylo by walking towards each other and embracing tightly. The feelings it suddenly evoked in him were almost overwhelming.

‘You stupid girl.’ BoShek muttered. ‘I might as well talk until I’m blue in the face.’

‘Old fool.’ Kasha said into his shoulder. ‘Like I ever listen to you.’ They let each other go and BoShek sighed.

‘Well come on then.’ he said and Kylo was shocked to see that he was the one being addressed. ‘This concerns you as much as it concerns her.’ They waited as Kylo moved to sit down next to Hux, then came to sit opposite him and Hux. They looked back at the man who was Kasha’s father, who was now sizing them up rather thoroughly.

‘Your mother is looking for you.’ Kasha said to Kylo. ‘She’s desperate enough that she even dug up this old fossil to try and track you down and enlist my help in rooting you out if you so happened to trepass into the Outer Rim territories.’ That brought Kylo up short.

‘You saw my mother?’ he asked BoShek and the smuggler nodded.

‘Not two days ago.’ he said. ‘I thankfully didn’t know you were here, otherwise I don’t think I could have lied my way out of that one. The General is persistent.’

‘Yeah, I remember that being the case.’ Kylo said, looking down at his hands. He was feeling incredibly uncomfortable. He could feel everyone’s eyes on him and, not for the last time, lamented that he didn’t have his mask to hide behind. But it, like everything else that had made him Kylo Ren, had been blown to smithereens. He was about to bolt from the table when he felt it. It was soft, so subtle that he barely felt it, but it was there.

It was like a touch on the hand, just a soft reassurance. He glanced at Hux briefly but Hux didn’t acknowledge him. Instead Kylo got something else.

_Relax. He’s not here to turn us in._ Hux’s voice was quietly confident 

_How the kriff do you know?_

_Trust me, Ren. He’s not going to ship you back to the Rebellion any more than he is me. I have dealt with men like him before. He won’t do anything that will put himself or his family in danger. Smugglers are an amoral lot, but in my experience they hold family above everything else._

‘You’re right, I do.’ BoShek said and they both jumped. ‘Not that either of you would understand that.’

‘Otak.’ Kasha said, putting her hand on his arm, her voice low. ‘Now is not the time.’

‘No.’ BoShek sighed. ‘And it’s not my place either.’ The look he gave Kylo was stern. ‘But your father was a good man, in spite of his faults. And he was proud of you.’

‘He never showed me that.’ Kylo said before he could stop himself.

‘Maybe not.’ The smugglers dark eyes were cold. ‘But he paid a very heavy penalty for that transgression.Too heavy in my estimation’

Kylo felt a surge of anger, but then Hux was there again and he was like a blast of chilly air on burned skin.

_Calm down, Ren. Now._

Kylo took a deep breath and then slowly stood up. He turned without saying a word and left the room.


	14. Kubindi

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The crew of the Kyari stop at a commerce planet.

BoShek was true to his word and left after the rather formal meal they had on board the Kyari. Hux was now sitting in the cockpit with Corvis helping him run tests on the shield system while Mosh stayed topside and continued to tinker with the generator. He watched out the cockpit view port while Kasha and her father said goodbye down on the ground in front of the ship. Next to them, D’Jell was curled around Corvis’ boots. Millicent was in a similar position, although in her case she had taken over Hux’s lap. Hux stroked her ears and pondered the situation outside. 

‘They’re a lot alike.’ he said. ‘More than I expected.’

‘Well, BoShek raised her for the most part.’ Corvis said, looking down at his wife and father-in-law. ‘People always talk about how much she’s like Mara until they finally meet him. ‘He’s a good man. He calls it as he sees it and he doesn’t bow to anyone.’

‘He’s not an easy man to fool.’ Hux mused, more to himself than anything. He’d felt the Force that flowed around the ex-smuggler, and while it had felt muted he knew it was not to be underestimated. 

‘Kasha said that you two are very similar in the way you wield it.’ Corvis said, almost as if he’d read Hux’s thoughts. ‘He masks himself like you do, uses it to persuade people and get them to do what he wants. Uses it to read their intentions.’ 

He grinned at Hux. ‘She has always said that if he had ever bothered to get any formal training that he would have made a formidable Jedi.’ The grin changed to a smirk. ‘She has bigger plans for you though.’

‘So you keep saying.’ Hux said, unable to keep the sharpness out of his voice. ‘But there is still no mention as to what those actually are.’

‘Let me ask you something.’ Corvis sat back, one boot rubbing at D’Jell’s belly. ‘What do you think of when I say the Outer Rim?’ his normall genial expression was now changing to something more serious and Hux felt wary.

‘Chaos.’ he replied. ‘Outlaws. People who need to be controlled and saved from their own destructive natures.’ He felt no need to lie. Corvis, he felt, would have known if he’d given him a pat answer. Even so he felt like he was definitely going to be on the back foot in this conversation and braced himself for what was undoubtedly coming. Instead Corvis loked thoughtful.

‘You are right in some respects.’ he said. ‘But the way the First order brings about change is nothing but domination and oppression. And I think that Snoke has precious little regard for the resources he plunders or the children you steal from the Rim’s planets under his instruction.’ He fixed Hux with a stern look, his black eyes unwavering. ‘You yourself have overseen this, taking the children from places you’ve never even set foot to indoctrinate them into your programme, turn them into mindless machines that are willing to die for a cause they know nothing about. The Stormtrooper training was your father’s brainchild, wasn’t it?’ 

‘Yes, it was.’ Hux looked out the window at father and daughter and though of his own non-existent relationship with his own father. Brendol Hux was nothing but a memory to him now and an unpleasant one at that. 

‘Do you hate him?’ Corvis asked and that made Hux think a little.

‘Not exactly.’ he replied. ‘He wasn’t a man that gave himself to sentiment.’

‘You carried on his legacy though.’ Corvis said. ‘You endorsed his policy of what amounts to slavery.’

‘I have never denied that.’ Hux replied. ‘Everything I have ever done has been for the First Order. My entire life has been devoted to bringing about order and restoring peace.’

‘Through militant action.’ Corvis said. His face was now alight with curiosity. ‘Did you ever question what you were doing?’

‘Absolutely not.’ Hux said and then realised that the look Corvis was now directing at him was filled with something that looked suspiciously like sympathy. ‘Why are you looking at me like that?’

‘Did it ever occur to you that it wasn’t only the children you took to be troopers that were being indoctrinated?’ he asked. 

The question left Hux stumped. In truth he hadn’t ever considered this as a possibility.

‘What are you saying?’ he asked and Corvis shrugged. 

‘I’m saying that just maybe you were every bit as brainwashed as they were.’ he said and sat back. 

This was a shock to Hux. He had never ever considered what he had gone through, either in the Academy or while rising through the ranks as brainwashing. Corvis seemed to pick up on his disquiet and changed the subject.

‘You talk about bringing order and yet the Outer Rim is still every bit as lawless as it’s always been.’ he said. ‘This place is all about the use of force to assure dominance. It’s one of the reasons we need you.’

‘I don’t understand.’ Hux frowned. ‘What could I possibly do?’

‘You have quite a unique gift according to Kasha.’ Corvis said. ‘A talent for negotiation and diplomacy.’ He was smiling broadly as he said this and it took a moment for Hux to realised that he was being gently mocked. 

‘Not exactly.’ He said. ‘Dictatorship is more like it, if we’re going to put it in your words.’

‘Did you ever want to just take it for yourself?’ Corvis asked. ‘Be the one to run it all.’

‘I would be lying if I said no.’ Hux said and was then appalled at himself. This was treason, and he’d hid his ambitions carefully. But there had been dreams of an empire and the only one he’d ever considered fit to sit on the throne had been himself. ‘I have always had ambitions.’

‘Well, now maybe you can fufil some of them.’ Corvis said, his eyes twinkling. ‘We need a bit of order around here and Kasha thinks you and Kylo can deliver it. Under her watchful eye of course. We need to bring the Rim together if we’re going to stand any chance against the Republic and the Order. But for that we need figureheads and having someone whose Force powers include the ability to influence people will be extremely useful. Not only that, the intelligence you hold is priceless. You were not just in the Order, you were the leader. Besides Snoke and Kylo, no-one else was so well-placed to be privy to the kind of information you with regards to weapons systems and troop numbers. You know it inside out. That and the training Kasha is going to give you will make you a formidable asset for our interests.’

‘And those interests are?’ Hux asked.

‘To bring the whole Outer Rim together in a bid to create our own sense of order. To protect our planets from those who would exploit them.’ Corvis said. ‘I may be Corellian by birth but the Outer Rim is where my mother raised me. I fell in love and married a woman whose whole life is tied up with these systems. She dreams of a place where there is enough of a system of law that all the people who inhabit it can live free of fear and persecution by those outside it.’ 

Hux hadn’t though he could have been surprised any further, but the eloquence and passion with which Corvis spoke amazed him. 

‘It’ll never work.’ he said finally. ‘The only thing a lot of the people who live in the Outer Rim understand is force. The Hutts and the gangs and the slavers will never sit around a table and negotiate terms. I think you’re vastly overestimating how much influence I would have. And why would they listen to me anyway? I have nothing to show them in the way of support.’

‘That’s where you’re wrong.’ Corvis’ smile was now different, a predatory gleam of surprisingly perfect white teeth. 'Because we don’t just have you. We have General Organa’s son and once Kasha and her master are done, we’ll have one of the most powerful Grey Jedi in the galaxy’s history to add to our ranks. There will be very few who will want to stand against a united Outer Rim with their own Jedi order to hold the security of those who run it. 

Hux considered this. He hated to admit it but the idea lit up that little fire inside him, catching his interest and igniting the fire of ambition inside him. Then he frowned as something suddenly occurred to him.

‘Kasha has a master?’ he asked. ‘I thought Kasha was the master.’ Corvis chuckled. 

‘Mara Jade was not a particularly stable person in terms of her lifestyle.’ He said. ‘She was not able to settle down for very long in one place. When Kasha was old enough she took her to Kolox. It’s a planet on the very edge of the Unknown Region, even further out than Csilla. It was a place she knew Snoke would never track Kasha down to and it was a place where one of the last remaining Grey Jedi masters lived. Kasha was with them until she turned eighteen. Their name is Sudaka Jokk and they're going to be joining you on Mara’s planet to oversee Kasha’s training of both you and Hux. The rest of her order will be coming along as well.’

‘She has an order?’ Hux was now well past surprised and all the way into astonished. 

‘Oh yes.’ Corvis grinned. ‘And if you think she’s crazy, wait till you meet the rest of them.’

**********

‘You’ll be careful?’ Kasha said, letting go of BoShek for about the fourth time. In spite of their near constant bickering they missed each other when they were apart. There was a smile on her face. 

‘I’ll be fine.’ BoShek replied. ‘I am going to see Oluru first. Tell her to start calling the bands together.’ Kasha snorted.

‘I’ll bet that’s going to be fun.’ she said. ‘Good luck on that.’ Her mother-in-law’s perspective on what they were doing was more than a little sceptical. ‘I don’t fancy your chances I have to say. If she won’t listen to Mark, I doubt she’ll listen to you.’

‘I still need to try.’ BoShek said. ‘But I worry. Are you going to be able to handle those two?’

‘Easily.’ Kasha said. She felt a tiny surge of irritation in the Force and smiled. Someone was listening in. 

‘Well, maybe this little development will be able to do what we haven’t.’ Boshek said. He sighed and put his hand on her shoulder. ‘Look after yourself, girl.’

‘You too, old man.’ Kasha replied, placing her own hand over his briefly. BoShek nodded and turned, walking off towards the landing bay his ship was in. Kasha watched him until he had disappeared into the trees. Then she turned and walked towards the Kyarī. As she approached she could make out the tall figure that was standing in the shadows underneath the freighter, leaning against the landing gear. Kasha looked at Kylo, noting how he was seemingly subsuming himself into his new role as would be smuggler. His hands were dug deep in his pockets and he was slouching. His hair was tied up today and she felt a strange sensation go through her as he picked up on her scrutiny. 

‘I wish it had been like that.’ he said as she got close enough to hear him. ‘Maybe things would have been different.’ He looked away into the dense trees. ‘I always felt like they were terrified of me.’ 

‘They probably were.’ she replied, then nodded in the direction her father had taken. ‘He wasn’t exactly equipped to deal with it either.’ She watched as his expression faltered and a tiny flicker of pain showed itself. She noticed that his hands were clenched in his pockets. ‘We need to get you away from here and somewhere where we can let you not think about it for a bit. Let you heal.’ Kylo snorted.

‘What would I have to heal from?’ he asked, but his voice was bitter. ‘I chose this, remember?’ he refused to meet her eyes. Kasha sighed and then gestured to the empty holster at his hip. 

‘We need to get you a decent weapon.’ she said. ‘Hux bought a blaster with him, but not one for you.’

‘I never use them.’ Kylo said. ‘I only ever carry my lightsabre. Of course, that bastard managed to conveniently leave it behind to get blown up with the rest of the planet.’

‘You’ll need to make another one.’ Kasha said. ‘On that’s going to be with you through your transformation.’

‘I don’t have the equipment or the inclination right now.’ Kylo said sullenly. ‘Not to mention that kyber crystals on exactly grow on trees.’

‘You leave that to me.’ Kasha said. ‘But you’re probably going to have to demonstrate so that Hux will have some idea of how to build his own one.’ Kylo looked up at her, his hazel eyes guarded. 

‘You’re really going to go through with it, aren’t you?’ he asked. ‘Training us both?’ 

‘Yes.’ Kasha said. ‘But I’m going to have alittle help.’

‘Who?’ Kylo was suspicious and it showed in very line of his face.

‘Later.’ Kasha said. ‘It’s time for us to leave and we have a stop to make along the way.’ She walked past him up the ramp and into the ship. 

They left the green swampy planet far behind and headed back out into the Outer Rim. Kylo found Hux in the crash room, his face thoughtful as he scanned a list that he was making. Bhutara was also there, sitting and stroking along Millicent’s back where she lay on the seat. Mosh and Corvis were in the cockpit and Kasha had retreated to the hold to meditate. 

Kylo approached the booth almost shyly. He stole a glimpse at Hux as he slid in next to Bhutara, who smiled and made room for him. 

‘What are you doing?’ he asked and Hux frowned but didn’t look up at him. 

‘This ship is woefully stocked.’ he replied. ‘I’ve been tasked with deciding what we’ll need from the commerce planet.’ Kylo looked at Butara who smiled and shrugged. 

‘He’s actually surprisingly good at it.’ she said. Kylo gave her a small smile. He like the strange woman, she felt comforting to him in a way he couldn’t define. Hux caught the look they were sharing and glared at them over the data pad he was holding. 

‘I ran a ship with a crew of over eighty thousand. I think I can manage the logistics for six idiots on a freighter.’ he said snippily. ‘Besides there are a number of engineering modifications that this ship could do with. Her drives are in serious need f an overhaul, the compressor systems are kriffed and her shields and guns both need upgrading. There’s so much to do and I’m quite looking forward to getting stuck in.’ He sounded almost happy as he rattled off the list. Kylo look at him, surprise colouring his face. Hux noticed his look of astonishment and his own cheeks pinked up slightly. ‘Don’t look at me like that. I’ll need something to keep me busy.’ He looked back down at the data pad, stabbing at it as if it had personally offended him. ‘And some new tech wouldn’t go amiss either on this ship.’ He went back to what he was doing, effectively ignoring Kylo and Bhutara. 

Kylo was at a loss. This was not a sight he was used to seeing. He regarded Hux for a moment, trying to reconcile this rather scruffy looking person getting excited about doing engineering upgrades on an outdated freighter with the cold faced man he’d regularly squared off against. He looked a little closer, seeing the ginger stubble that coated Hux’s jaw, the way his green eyes lit up in the harsh lighting of the ship, too bright and making his hair even fierier, the scattering of tiny freckles under his eyes and across his nose that Kylo had never noticed in the oddly dim lighting of the Finalizer.

Something kicked him under the table and Kylo jolted back out of his contemplation to see a knowing grin on Bhutara’s face. Kylo ducked his head and got up. He needed something to do. He walked out the crash room and headed for the hold.  
He opened the door and went in, taking a moment to get rid of his boots before he padded over to the training mats. Kasha was sitting cross legged, palms resting on her knees and her eyes open. In front of her a section of small machine parts revolved in mid-air as she manipulated the Force to keep them in orbit around each other and her. Kylo remembered doing this when he was a Paduwan. He’d used specially inscribed stones, Jedi relics that Luke had discovered. 

He sat down opposite her, assuming the same position. The Force flowed around and through Kasha like a river, the power contained and smooth. She smiled at him and then he felt the gentle push and focused his own power, taking control of the parts and maintaining the same rhythm Kasha had already set up. It was soothing and he let himself get a little bit lost in it. They sat like that, transferring the control back and forth between them.

‘How long has it been since you’ve done this?’ Kasha asked and Kylo thought about it a little. 

‘I think the last time was when I was still a Paduwan.’ he said. ‘When I went to Snoke, there wasn’t anyone else to do it with. I had killed them all.’

‘Are you sorry?’ kasha asked and he looked up at her. 

‘Sometimes.’ he said truthfully. ‘And then other times I’m not.’ He held her gaze. ‘I’m not a good person.’

‘No.’ Kasha said. ‘But then neither am I.’ They were now sitting in the middle of the orbiting parts. She held out her hands to him. ‘I want to show you something.’ Kylo looked down and then carefully placed his hands in hers, noting how large his were in comparison. He felt her consciousness meld with his and then the vision came, incredibly vivid and frightening in its intensity.

He saw her, blaster in one hand and lightsabre in the other. Kasha’s face was streaked with blood and he knew it wasn’t hers. He looked up into her eyes and saw the amber glowing.

‘Who were they?’ he asked. 

‘A Hutt syndicate that dealt in underage prostitutes.’ Kasha said. ‘They took the daughter of someone I knew.’ 

‘You killed them all.’ It wasn’t a question. 

‘All of them.’ Kasha said. 

‘But they did bad things.’ Kylo replied. ‘They deserved it.’

‘Maybe. The issue lay not with the fact that I killed them, but that I enjoyed it. I revelled in the blood I split that day.’ Her eyes were hard and bright. ‘Did you?’

‘No.’ Kylo replied. It was true. ‘It made me sick.’

‘And your father?’ she pressed.

‘No.’ Kylo’s voice dropped. ‘But I had no choice. I needed to do it.’

‘Well, now you do.’ Kasha said. ‘And who’s to say who is worse. You killed the innocent but took no joy in it while I slaughtered the guilty and celebrated. From where I stand there is no difference.’

‘Shades of grey?’ Kylo couldn’t help his mocking tone. 

‘It’s what makes us what we are.’ Kasha replied.

***********

They arrived at the commerce planet a few hours later. 

Kylo came out of his meditation as he felt the ship drop out of light speed. He looked at kasha who still had her eyes closed, a serene look on her face.

‘Where are we?’ he asked and the corners of her mouth twitched. 

‘Kubindi.’ she replied. ‘There’s a commerce centre here. It’s also close enough to Hutt space that it means the Order doesn’t really come around that much.’ She grinned and it was razor sharp. ‘It’s always a lot of fun. It’s where most of the spice merchants and smugglers come to blow their credits.’

‘Is it wise to be landing here?’ Kylo asked, retrieving his boots and pulling them on.

‘Probably not.’ she conceded. ‘But we never really worry about that too much on this ship. Kylo got up and held put a hand automatically and she took it, letting him help her to her feet. ‘But it’s got one of the best black markets in the Outer Rim and whatever we need we’ll probably find here.’

They walked through to the cockpit. Kylo noticed the Hux was occupying one of the seats behind the pilot’s control console. Through the viewport they watched the planet in front of them draw closer. It was a mix of blues and browns and muddy greens. Corvis navigated the ship down through the dense atmosphere and they broke through into odd bluish light. Below them, Kylo could see extensive and massive mountains, surrounded by forests. 

‘Welcome to Trikkch.’ Mosh said, grinning at Corvis. ‘One step outside and you’ll melt into a puddle.’

‘Which is why we go inside.’ Corvis replied, grinning back. The ship was approaching the sheer face of a massive peak and Kylo was about to say something about the Corellian needing more sense if they were going to avoid flying into it when a hangar started to open. The Kyarī swung in a graceful arc and came to land on a platform designate by a line of white lights. She dropped down and Corvis engaged the landing gear, and the touch-down was barely noticeable. 

‘Good.’ Kasha said. ‘We’ve got a few hours. Corvis and I will take Kylo and Hux. You and Bhutara are on food supplies.’

An alcohol.’ Mosh said, his grin even wider. ‘I’m not marooning myself on that damn planet of yours with nothing to drink.’

‘I second that.’ Corvis chuckled, slapping him on the shoulder. He got up and walked towards the colour of the cockpit. ‘Come on General, we’ve got parts to get.’ Hux followed him, briefly locking eyes with Kylo as he walked past. Kylo watched them move down the central corridor and around the corner. Mosh was still at the control console, initiating the shutdown sequence and Kylo heard the familiar whine as the freighter’s engines shut down. 

‘And us?’ he asked Kasha. ‘I presume we’re going to be looking for something as well.’ She smiled at him, pushed off the door ledge and walked out the cockpit. Kylo huffed and then followed her.

They came down from the ship into the hangar. It was bustling with humanoids and droid attendants and the ubiquitous Kubaz in their stranger armoured face plats and goggles. There were a myriad of other species, including the integrated Yuuzhan Vong and smugglers in ever shape, size and colour. 

They walked through the crowds and Kylo could sense Hux’s distinct unease with the situation. He himself had no problem, using the Force to gently propel people away from him without them even realising it. Hux, on the other hand, was used to stalking through the Finlaizer with everyone scurrying to get out of his way, and he was extremely annoyed by the fact that he was having to compete for space. 

They came out of the hangar and Kylo saw that they were on an internal walkway that looked out over a massive central space below them. The light in here was dim, and the air thick with smells – inscense, food, sweat and the smell of spice.  
‘Hux and I will go get the components first.’ Corvis said. ‘We can meet up in the Small Bazaar.’ Kasha nodded. Kylo watched as the smuggler and Hux moved off into the crowd. 

‘So where are we going?’ he asked. 

‘We need components.’ Kasha said and he followed her in the opposite direction, moving down into the crowds.

***********

Not long after the Kyarī had landed, another ship broke through the atmosphere. It came into land on a pad not far from where the freighter stood. The ramp lowered and two figures descended, both wrapped in dark cloaks with the hoods drawn to hide their faces. They moved almost as one, their every gesture and step perfectly synchronised. 

One growled softly and the other inclined their head. 

They moved through the crowds, the people flowing around them like water around rocks.

***********

The Grand Bazaar was the open air space in the centre of the docking station. It has close on two thousand stalls, all peddling different things. Corvis led Hux to a line of tents and stands that were fronted with flat tables covered in components. He gestured at the line of hawkers.

‘Here you are.’ he said to Hux. ‘The finest stolen wares the galaxy has to offer.’ A nearby merchant snorted indignantly at that and Corvis chuckled. ‘Let’s see if we can find what we’re looking for.’ Hux followed, his ever sense alert. It was a situation that was almost overwhelming in its intensity. He was child of the Order, closeted, bought up inside the walls of the Academy and on starships and never stepping foot on the planets he had conquered. He had certainly never been to market, let alone a black market of this size. The sheer number of people was making him incredibly uncomfortable, and he found he couldn’t stop looking at everything and everyone. 

‘This is incredible.’ He said and Corvis laughed. 

‘You’ve been pretty sheltered, haven’t you?’ he said, taking Hux’s arm and dragging him along. ‘The one we want is Trrva. She has good quality components and she doesn’t try and gouge you with her prices.’ He led the way to a large blue and purple striped tent and held the fringed closure aside and waved Hux in. What Hux saw there almost made his jaw drop.

The creature inside was one of the strangest he’d ever encountered. Hux had heard of Togorians, but had never encountered one before. The female in front of him was tall, approaching two metres, and elegantly built, her body sheathed in a tight fitting synth-leather flight suit in a dark green. Her face fur was grey and striped with white, tan and black and her luminous green eyes had vertical pupils. Her mane was long and fell loose around her face and shoulders. 

‘Corvis.’ she purred when the smuggler stepped in behind Hux.

‘Trrva.’ he said and approached her. Hux watched them rub their faces together in what was clearly a traditional greeting. ‘You are stunning as always.’

‘Flatterer.’ she replied, sounding extremely pleased. ‘And who is this?’

‘This is Hux.’ Corvis said. ‘Hux this is Trrva Laarvick, one of the most brilliant mechanical minds to grace the galaxy.’

‘Now he’s just trying to soften me up.’ Trrva said, smiling to show off an impressive pair of gleaming white fangs. She fixed her penetrating eyes on Hux. ‘So, tell me. What is a General of the Forst order doing here on Kubundi and in such disreputable company?’ Her words made Hux throw Corvis a look but the smuggler just chuckled. 

‘He’s officially in hiding.’ he replied. 

‘Well, he better hide well.’ Trrva said. ‘The Hutts have a bounty out on him. Looks like someone is very keen to recover you.’ She said this to Hux and he frowned. ‘Come in the back and you can tell me what you need.’ She led the way to another curtained partition and ushered them inside. Hux watched her odd bouncing gait.

The back room was cluttered with a workbench and piles of parts, the metals gleaming sully in the light of the hanging lamp. There was a further curtain and a deep rumbling growl came from behind it. Trrva growled back and the reply was mollified. 

‘How is Rarrgh?’ Corvis asked as he sat down on a chair set at a small table. 

‘Grumpy.’ Trrva replied. ‘He wishes to return to Togoria, but we have another month here before we can.’ Her eyes were following Hux, who had been drawn over to the workbench like a ship drawn in by a tractor beam. He took in all the tiny devices that the Torgorian was working on, marvelling at the exquisite levels of detail and fine craftsmanship.

‘Hux stop gawking and come here.’ Corvis said. Hux sighed and approached the small table.

‘Who is he?’ he asked as a huge shadow passed behind the curtain.

‘Rarrgh is Trrva’s mate.’ Corvis explained to Hux as he sat down. ‘Give Trrva the list and we can get out of her hair.’ Hux handed over the datapad and Trrva regarded it, then snorted. 

‘This is a piece of krrakk.’ she said. ‘I have something better.’ She got up and walked to the work bench, picking something up from amongst the odds and ends. She bought it back over to Hux and handed it to him. 

Hux admired the frankly astonishing piece of tech in his hand. It was sleek and beautifully made and the operating system when he switched it on made him want to exclaim in delight at how intuitive it was. If only he’d had one like it on the Finalizer. He reluctantly handed it back.

‘It’s very impressive.’ he said. He noticed Corvis giving Trrva a look of exasperation. 

‘I really don’t appreciate you trying to seduce my new engineer, Trrva.’ he said. 

‘Well, just because you’re incapable of appreciating something like this doesn’t mean he isn’t.’ she said, her eyes gleaming. ‘I can spot a man who appreciates his technology.’ She went back over to the bench and picked something else up.

It was a small communicator, far more discreet that the ones Hux had seen before. He noticed that it wasn’t quite finished and looked at Trrva questioningly.

‘I am having a problem with that.’ she said. Hux smiled, a genuine bright smile. This was something he knew, something he could work with. 

**********

Kylo followed Kasha down a set of stairs and into a lower level of the bazaar. Here the items for sale were more esoteric and definitely more illegal. 

‘Here.’ Kasha said and they moved towards a stall set up inside a tent that looked like it was made from the hide of a large reptile. The table out front was covered in small trinkets and boxes. Kasha bypassed these and stepped in behind the curtain. Kylo had to bow his head when he came in behind her. It was cluttered with all manner of boxes and goods, bolts of cloth and antiquities from forgotten planets. The man in the tent was a Chiss, slender and elegant and dressed in a simple unbleached robe. He looked at them steadily, his red eyes glowing in the darkness of the tent.

‘I knew you were coming.’ he said. ‘I felt it.’ 

Kylo gaped and looked at Kasha. The Force surrounding the Chiss was strong, but it wasn’t the focused intensity of a Jedi. Instead it ebbed and flowed like a gentle river. 

‘Te’shoon.’ Kasha said. ‘This is Kylo Ren.’

‘Snoke’s apprentice.’ Te’Shoon said, his look appraising. ‘I expected you to look somewhat different.’

‘How do you know who I am?’ Kylo asked. 

‘Te’Shoon is a Force Sensitive of great power, Kylo.’ Kasha said. 

‘Are you a Jedi?’ Kylo asked and Te’shoon laughed. There was a flash of very white, sharp teeth.

‘Hardly.’ he replied. Then he turned back to Kasha. ‘Where is the other one?’

‘With Corvis.’ Kasha said. ‘Do you have what we need?’ The Chiss nodded. 

‘He can choose his now.’ he said, moving to a table and opening a metal banded box. He took out a small leather pouch and tossed it to Kasha. ‘The other can choose from these. They will be suitable.’ Kasha caught the bag and dug a credit chip out of her pocket and tossed it back. The Chiss caught it neatly and it disappeared inside his sleeve. 

Kylo watched the exchange. He could feel something starting to vibrate inside him. It felt like the first time Luke took him inside the crystal caves to find his first crystal. That lightsabre still lay in the strongbox on the Kyarī. He had never destroyed it, although he’d often felt he should have. The cracked kyber crystal that fuelled his now lost lightsabre had been given to him by Snoke. 

The feeling started to grow and become a scratch at the back of his mind. Kylo turned to see Kasha and Te’Shoon watching him carefully.

‘You can feel it can’t you?’ Kasha said. ‘Focus.’ 

Kylo looked at her. The scratch was now insistent. He started to look around the cluttered tent, trying to find the source of the power he could now sense. He took a step forward, stretching out one hand. When he was younger, he had not felt a pull like this. It guided him towards a large chest of carved dark wood. Kylo knelt and opened it. He gasped when he saw what was inside. 

It was full of crystals, of all shapes and sizes. They were not all kyber crystals, he could feel that, but there were so many and it infuriated him. He got up, and with an angry yell he used the Force to lift the chest up in the air and overturn it, the crystals spilling out all over the plush carpet that covered the inside of the tent. There must have easily been a thousand of them. 

Kylo closed his eyes and felt for the sensation in his head, grabbing onto it. He tugged it tight and extended his hand over the pile of crystals. Then it was there, a flash of black light in his head and he caught his breath as he felt the crystal jump into his hand. He closed his fingers around it and held on tightly. It burned his skin, but it was an icy fire. 

Kylo felt the raw power flowing through it. He kept his control locked on the crystal, willing it into submission. Eventually the burn eased and he opened his eyes to see the Chiss and Kasha staring at him.

‘He certainly is powerful.’ Te’Shoon said, his voice filled with something that sounded a little like awe. 

‘Yes, he is.’ Kasha replied. She looked at Kylo’s clenched hand. ‘Show us.’ Kylo took a deep breath and opened his fingers. 

The crystal on his palm was now a deep violet. 

‘It will require further meditation.’ Kasha said, as she came over. She looked at it, inspecting it carefully. ‘Good job though.’ She smiled at him and Kylo couldn’t help smiling back.


	15. Where Did All The Mercs Come From?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Seems that the First Order is not the only bunch after them...

Kasha led Kylo deeper and deeper into the bazaar. The made a few stops along the way so by the time she brought them to a low structure that appeared to have been constructed from salvaged ship parts, Kylo was in possession of a few new clothes and some personal items he thought he might need, all packed into a leather bag strapped across his body. It seemed almost unreal to be in that position, and he was uncomfortably reminded of being a boy again as he trailed behind Luke in their rare excursions to the market when he’d become a Paduwan.

The structure turned out to be a cantina, if the music from inside was any indication. Kasha went in and he followed her, ducking to get in the door which seemed to have been crafted for much smaller people. Inside, it was dingy and smelt like spice and smoke and another wave of memory hit him. He’d certainly been in enough places like this when he was with his father. Kylo felt a little tug in his chest at that and had to focus to push the memory aside.

The interior was long and dimly lit with a bar running the length of the building. The roof of the cantina was in a bad state of disrepair, but then it was a building in a building so he figured it wasn’t a pressing demand. There were shafts of light falling in through the roof and one of them just so happened to hit something that drew his attention immediately.

The flash of bright copper drew his eyes and Kylo found himself drawing in a breath and holding it as he looked at Hux. He was starting to realise that he’d been doing this for a long time, even on the Finalizer, his eyes seeking Hux out whenever they were in the same room. He’d formerly attributed it to their rivalry and the open hostility between them, but now he found himself starting to wonder if that was all there was to it. It had become a habit of his to mark Hux’s movements on the bridge of the Finalizer or the command centre of Starkiller. If he was being honest with himself, Kylo had liked to enter quietly and catch Hux staring out the view ports, the low lying sun catching that red hair and sparking it into fire, like it was now.

‘There they are.’ Kasha said and started to make her way through the other patrons. The place was fairly full and Corvis and Hux were sitting at the far end of the bar. They got close enough that Kylo could see Hux’s face and for a moment he thought there was something severely wrong with him. Then he realised what it was that seemed so out of place.

Hux was smiling.

It suddenly occurred to Kylo that he had never actually see Hux smile. There had been plenty of those humourless smirks, smug quirks of the corners of his mouth, but never an actual genuine smile. He’d thought that Hux had been incapable of it, seeming to experience nothing but icy derision and suppressed anger which brought out those little twitches of his face that Kylo had so enjoyed being the cause of, and yet here he was showing a set of perfectly white teeth and smiling wolfishly while he and Corvis engaged in what could only be described as a heated discussion. The smile itself was sharp and with more than a hint of the ruthlessness that Kylo normally associated with him, but it made him look incredibly attractive and Kylo found himself feeling like his head had just been stamped on by a bantha. He automatically started to stifle the feelings inside him, always aware that Snoke would pick up on things like these flickers of emotion and humanity and then there would be punishment. Then he felt a hand on his arm.

‘You don’t have to do that.’ Kasha said. Her amber eyes were warm. ‘You don’t have to stop yourself from feeling anymore.’

‘He looks so different.’ he replied. ‘It’s like I can see him changing in front of me.’

‘He’s very adaptable. But you’re also changing.’ she said. ‘It’s a far cry from who you both were only a week ago.’ She grinned at him. ‘You know antagonism is only a step away from attraction, right?’ And with that she left him to stand in the shadows at the front of the bar and watch the man he’d taken such delight in torturing in the not too distant past.

He remembered the encounters in the holo-room, the absolute disdain in Hux’s voice and the way his green eyes had felt like they would pierce right through his helmet. Kylo had always felt the need to hide, but Hux never did. He’d watched how Hux had never bowed before Snoke, had never once shown the slightest bit of fear when he’d stood before him. It was one of the reasons he’d liked to persecute him. Kylo had stayed that fearful child in some ways and he’d envied Hux his ability to completely ignore Snoke’s disfavour.

‘You’re dawdling.’ Kasha’s voice floated back to him, and it spurred Kylo into action. It also meant that Hux turned at the sound of her voice and the shaft of light was now hitting his eyes, lighting them up and making them almost luminous.

Kriffing hell…

He moved to catch up with her, feeling more ungainly and awkward than ever under the scrutiny of that cool green gaze without his normal protective layers.

‘You’re late.’ Corvis said when they got to them. ‘You were supposed to only be an hour.’ Kasha smiled and leaned in to kiss him.

‘We had things to do.’ she said, hopping up onto the stool next to him and stealing his drink. She sipped cautiously and then made a face. Corvis smiled and signalled the bartender.

‘So what have you and the Dark Knight been up to?’ he asked and winked at Kylo. ‘Important secret Jedi stuff?’ Kylo, well used to this particular brand of humour, sighed.

‘Yes, actually.’ Kasha said and reached into her jacket pocket. She took out the leather bag and chucked it at Hux, who caught it neatly. ‘Pick one of them, General.’ Kylo was a little taken aback at the casualness with which she was tossing what was considered to be a sacred part of the Jedi journey around.

‘Really?’ he said and Kasha grinned at him.

‘Would you prefer some kind of ridiculous initiation ritual?’ she asked. ‘This is all that’s necessary. His instincts are good and it will be better for him to choose while he’s not distracted by anything else in his head. It will be the purest form of choice that way.’

Hux frowned as he studied the bag. He opened it and tipped the contents onto the bar and then frowned at the crystals.

‘What are these?’ he asked and Kylo was about to answer when Kasha cut him off.

‘Just pick one.’ she said and Hux huffed. He looked at the crystals lying on the bar, then Kylo picked up on one of those tiny twitches. He reached out a little and felt it. Hux was being drawn to one of them but he was fighting it, not wanting to trust his instincts.

 _Do it. Don’t think, just take it._ Kylo thought.

Hux looked straight up at him and their eyes met. There was something a little like a lightning spark between them and then Hux picked up the crystal he’d been drawn to. He looked back at Kylo and Kylo nodded. Kasha’s smile was pleased. She picked up the rest of the crystals and tucked them back in the pouch and then retrieved another from her other pocket. This one as smaller and strung on a long leather thong.

‘Put it in that.’ she instructed. ‘Wear it next to your skin. It needs to get to know you.’ Kylo felt a little glow at the thought of his own new crystal, secured in an identical pouch and hidden under his shirt. He watched Hux follow her instructions, his eyes catching a glimpse of pale skin when Hux tucked the pouch out of sight. ‘How did your adventures in purchasing go?’

‘Brilliantly.’ Corvis said. ‘Not only is the General extremely knowledgeable when it comes to parts, but Trrva has taken a distinct shine to him. And he got what we needed for more than a third off what I was anticipating.’ He drank. ‘Quite frankly, I’m little hurt. Although we did get the new communicators I wanted.’ He reached into his pocket and drew out two small and perfectly crafted communicators which he handed to her and Kylo. ‘Better range and clarity. The funny thing is that Hux was the one who got them to work. Trrva was so impressed she gave him a present.’ Kasha chuckled and gave Hux a penetrating look that he gave right back.

‘That’s because Hux has powers of intelligence and persuasion that you do not, my darling.’ she said, smiling at Corvis before she stole his drink again, making a face as before. ‘What the kriff are you drinking?’

‘House special.’ Corvis grinned and tipped his glass at Hux. ‘I highly recommend it.’

**********

The two people who had disembarked stopped when they entered the lower levels of the bazaar. The shorter of the two reached up and pulled back her hood revealing a beautiful face. Her skin was a deep burnt orange-red and there were distinctive black marks beneath her magenta eyes which traversed the sides of her face and culminated in two circular patches above them indicative of the fact that she was a Devaronian. Her thick black hair was cut short in the back and kept a little longer in the front, falling across her face in an asymmetrical wave.

The second person did the same, revealing an extraordinary visage. It was vaguely canid, a blunt muzzle and two pointed upright ears identifying her as a Nalvaanian. Her light coat of fur was the same blue-grey shade of all her kind and her hair, like that of her companion, was pitch black with greenish tints. Unlike the Devaronian’s though, hers was long and hung in a simple braid down her back, clasped at the end with a silver band. Her eyes had no iris or discernible pupil, shiny black and fringed with thick lashes. She turned and addressed her companion, her Basic strangely accented.

‘They are here. And they are in the cantina.’

‘No surprises there then.’ The Devaronian grinned, showing teeth that were sharply pointed. ‘Shall we go disturb them?’ She was about to move when the Nelvaanian put a jet-clawed hand on her arm, restraining her lightly.

‘No.’ She moved back, seeming to melt into the shadows, and the Devaronian followed suit. They watched as a group of seven people walked past them, their swagger indicating that they were of the opinion that anyone who got in their way would not last particularly long. They failed to notice the two figures standing within touching distance of them. Once they had passed, the two woman moved back into the light.

‘Now who do you think they belong to?’ The Devaronian mused. The Nelvaanian sniffed the air and wrinkled her muzzle.

‘Hutts.’ she growled. ‘I can smell it on them.’

‘Pfassk.’ The Devaronian drew her robe aside. Underneath she was wearing a simple tunic of deep purple and black pants tucked into the ankle boots commonly worn by her kind. What was noticeable was the broad leather belt around her waist and the lightsaber that hung from it. ‘Do we go in and start something?’

‘No.’ The Nelvaanian copied her gesture. She was wearing a scuffed brown flight suit with the sleeves ripped off and thick flight gloves which had been similarly treated. She too had a lightsabre at her waist and she reached for it. ‘We’ll wait until Corvis starts shooting.’

**********

Kylo sat and rested his chin on his hand and simply watched.

He was so entranced by what he was seeing that he’d completely given up on any pretence of not being smitten with the way Hux’s face lit up when he was talking about engineering. He had had no idea that the seemingly emotionless general could be so passionate about something. He could feel it rippling off of him in waves. Next to Kylo, Kasha was cackling into her drink.

_You look like a lovesick teenager._

Kylo didn’t allow his gaze to waver even once.

_I don’t really care right now._

‘Don’t you see the possibilities?’ Hux was waving his drink a little wildly, and Kylo did give a quick thought to what exactly was in them. ‘If we could just…’

‘Yes, but.’ Corvis interjected. He was being equally enthusiastic and the happy bickering that he and Hux had been doing for the last three rounds of drinks had been entertaining in the extreme. ‘Consider that if we replaced the hyperdrive coupling then we could feasibly shave another twenty parsecs off of that.’ Hux’s eyes lit up like a beacon and Kylo stared openly at the smile on his face. It was like staring into a supernova and made him look ten years younger.

There was definitely something in those drinks.

‘Idiots.’ Kasha shook her head as she emptied her glass and regarded it sadly. She raised her arm and the bartender waddled over.

‘I think I’m done.’ Kylo said in a low voice to avoid the other two hearing him. ‘I’m actually starting to find him attractive.’ He looked at Kasha and she laughed.

‘You do realise you just said that aloud.’ she pointed out.

‘It doesn’t matter.’ Kylo said. ‘They paying no attention to us anyway.’ He looked at her. ‘We still need to find components by the way. If we’re going to build.’ He didn’t say the word but she knew what he was referring to.

‘I have everything else you need.’ she replied. ‘Mara kept a very well stocked workshop. I built this one there.’ She nodded down at the lightsaber at her belt.

‘Gold is an unusual colour.’ Kylo said. ‘I have never seen one like that before.’

‘The Jedi Sentinels used to wield yellow sabers.’ Kasha said. ‘Mara nearly laughed her arse off when she saw what I had come up with.’ She smiled, and Kylo felt the tinge of nostalgia that went with it.

‘She’s come to see me.’ he said and Kasha looked at him. He’d expected surprise but all he got was curiosity.

‘She always hated being left out of things.’ she said. ‘Her being dead hasn’t changed that.’ The smile widened. ‘She still comes back to yell at me whenever she thinks I need it.’ Kylo felt a twinge of jealousy.

‘She understood what it was like.’ he said.

‘You’re wondering what it would have been like for you?’ Kasha asked and he nodded, head down.

‘It’s always been so hard.’ he said. ‘The fight between the light and dark.’

‘And it’s not going to get any easier.’ Kasha replied. ‘But there are some things we can try. Things that could help you balance out a bit.’

‘Like what? Kylo raised his head.

‘You fight using Djem So.’ Kasha replied.

‘My grandfather used it.’ Kylo replied.

‘It doesn’t suit you though.’ Kasha said. ‘You have too much aggression.’

‘You use Juyo.’ Kylo frowned. ‘Where did you learn it? I thought it was extinct.’

‘My master taught me.’ Kasha said. ‘And I am going to teach you.’

‘What about him?’ Kylo looked at Hux who had now commandeered the bartender’s pen and was scribbling away on the back of a menu.

‘No.’ Kasha said. ‘He has too much self-control and not enough bloodlust. I think he’ll be best at something else. But we have time to figure out what that could be.’

‘I did fencing.’ Hux announce from the other side and Kasha and Kylo both stopped talking and looked at him.

‘Excuse me?’ Kasha said and Hux nodded.

‘At the Academy.’ he said. ‘Fencing. I was pretty good too.’

‘Interesting.’ Kasha said. ‘Makashi?’ She looked at Kylo and he realised that she was asking his opinion. He was a little taken aback, being so used to not being consulted on things and simply instructed.

‘Uh.’ he frowned. ‘I suppose that would make sense.’ He racked his brain for what he remembered about the Second Form. ‘If he’s already able to fence the footwork and forms will come to him easily.’ Then he couldn’t help a small smile. ‘He’s certainly anal-retentive enough for the precision it requires. And kriff knows he’ll need something to make up for the fact that he probably has no muscle tone from doing nothing butwaltzing around the ship.’

‘Eldrine practices Makashi.’ Kasha said. ‘We’ll get her to teach him.’

‘Who or what is an Eldrine?’ Hux asked. There was an unusual sparkle to his green eyes. Kylo was a little surprised to see that he was also a little unsteady on his bar stool.

‘One of our Order.’ Kasha replied. She frowned. ‘Are you drunk?’

‘I can’t be.’ Hux said. ‘I’ve only had five.’ He peered into the bottom of his cup. ‘Damn…’ Then he very gracefully fell over sideways. They looked at him.

‘Where is he from again?’ Corvis asked.

‘Arkanis.’ Kylo replied and now both Kasha and Corvis looked at him. ‘What? I just happen to have seen his personnel file.’

‘Yeah.’ Corvis grinned at him. He got up off his bar stool and helped Hux up. ‘And Arkanians normally know how to hold their alcohol. Guess they don’t have a drinking culture on the First Order flagship.’

‘That stuff is lethal.’ Hux declared as Corvis propped him up against the bar. ‘If I had that at my disposal I could conquer the galaxy in a month.’ He blinked slowly and Kylo was dumbfounded. He’d never seen Hux so out of character. He was about to make a pointed remark about Hux’s state when he felt something, a prickling at his senses. He turned and saw they group of people entering the cantina. They had a particular look to them that screamed trouble.

‘Kriff!’ Kasha was instantly alert. She shoved Corvis in the arm. ‘Time to go.’

‘Why?’ Hux asked, a little too loudly.

‘Because of them.’ Corvis got him into an upright position and then, to Kylo’s absolute horror, handed him off to him. ‘Here, take this.’

‘Who are they?’ he asked, desperately trying to hold Hux at arm’s length and keep him standing.

‘Hutt mercenaries.’ Kasha said. She had unhooked her lightsaber. ‘Take him and get out. Do not stop and use any amount of force necessary to make sure you get back to the ship.’

‘I can help.’ Kylo said and she turned to look at him.

‘You can help by keeping him safe.’ she said. ‘Now go!’

‘Through the back.’ Corvis was pointing at the kitchen door behind the bar. He had his blaster in his hand. ‘Just retrace your steps and you’ll be fine.’

‘Kriff!’ Kylo steered Hux towards the back just as the group came towards them. He looked back at the sound of Kasha’s lightsabre igniting and then out his head down and hustled Hux through to the kitchen.

A pair of very surprised humanoid chefs watched them stumble through and Kylo spotted the door Corvis was referring to. He approached and on instinct threw out one hand, slamming it open with the Force before he managed to wrangle Hux through it and into a closed off courtyard.

‘Will you unhand me!’ Hux was huffy. ‘I can walk on my own.’

‘No you can’t.’ Kylo said, blowing open the door of the courtyard as well. ‘You fell off your chair not twenty minutes ago.’ He looked around and noticed that there was now an assembled group of people at the front of the cantina. He heard the distinct sound of blasters going off and a lightsaber being swung and part of him longed to go back in.

Instead he gritted his teeth and grabbed Hux’s hand and started pulling him after him through the crowds and away from the fight that had broken out inside.

**********

Inside the cantina, a stand-off was underway. Every sensible patron had bolted out the door at the first sign of blasters being drawn and the bartender had taken refuge behind the counter. Kasha and Corvis stood their ground. Kasha ignited her lightsabre, the golden blade lighting up the dim space. In front of them, the mercenaries had spread out to flank them. Like Corvis, they all had their blasters drawn.

‘You.’ The tallest mercenary said, pointing at Kasha. ‘And you.’ His single-eyed glare turned itself on Corvis. ‘You’re going to make me a lot of credits.’

‘Are you going to use it to buy yourself a new eye, Brantill?’ Corvis’ grin was dangerous. He gave his fellow Corellian a challenging look, blaster levelled at him. ‘Or are you going to let Kasha make it a macthing pair?’ He gave her a quick sidelong smile, which she returned. The Corellian sneered at them, but there was a hint of fear in his face. The ugly scar he bore and the eye patch that covered the empty socket was a testament to the last time they had tangled.

‘That’s why we have this place surrounded.’ he hissed. ‘We outnumber you two to one, and we’ve also sent a few after those traitors you’re harbouring.’

‘Kriff.’ Corvis said to Kasha, still grinning like a madman. ‘Guess we’re not so subtle after all.’

‘We never are.’ Kasha shifted position, the golden light from her lightsaber making her eyes glow. She laughed defiantly. ‘Although you really should let us go. We’re going to be far more trouble than it’s worth. And this time I probably won’t let you live.’ Brantill threw a look at the other mercenaries around him and his face twisted into an expression of satisfaction.

‘I’ll take my chances.’ he said.

‘You never kriffing learn.’ Kasha said and the mercenary roared. He fired and she bought the saber up, deflecting the blast.

The fight was on.

************

‘Slow down.’ Hux sounded disjointed as Kylo dragged him after him. Kylo huffed in annoyance and kept up the pace.

‘We need to get back to the ship.’ he snapped. ‘There are people trying to catch us, so you’ll just have to forgive me for making you run.’

‘I hate running!’ Hux hissed. ‘And I hate you!’

‘Fine!’ Kylo rounded a corner. ‘Just shut the kriff up!’ He came up short as he saw four people in front of them, blasters drawn and Hux ran right into him. Kylo heard him swear but all his attention was on the group in front of him. The mercenary in front fired and out of sheer instinct, Kylo threw his hand up and warded off the blast fire, freezing it in mid-air.

‘Oh my stars.’ Hux breathed behind him. ‘How the kriff did you do that?’

‘I’ll tell you later!’ Kylo grabbed his hand again and hauled him down a side alley, using the momentary amazement of the mercenaries to make their escape. He ran, using the Force to topple obstacles to blocked the pathway behind them. Behind him, Hux kept up gamely. They reached an intersection between two alleys and Kylo spotted an alcove that was in darkness. He dragged Hux over to it, folding them both into it and then closed his eyes. He had not been very good at what he was about to do, but he focused and was gratified when he felt the lightwaves bend around them. He heard the sound of the mercenaries reaching the intersection and smiled at the confusion and anger in their voices as they debated which way they could have gone. Eventually they moved off and the alley fell quiet.

Kylo opened his eyes and that was when the reality of the situation struck him. He had Hux pinned up against the wall of the alcove, his hands either side of Hux’s head and leaning in so close that their faces were only inches apart.

Green. So much green. Except for the tiny gold flecks that matched the freckles underneath Hux’s eyes and the red-gold eyelashes that framed them.

Kriff.

Hux was staring right back at him, and Kylo suddenly realised that Hux’s hands were pressed flat against his chest. He inhaled sharply and Hux’s eyes widened. There were a thousand reasons why he shouldn’t do what he was about to do, and all of them faded into nothing when Hux looked into his eyes and his lips parted ever so slightly.

Kylo gave in to the surge of feeling inside him and leaned forward the inch it took to kiss him. To his complete and utter amazement, Hux did not push him away. In fact he melted against Kylo, both hands grabbing onto the front of his shirt to hold himself up and a small noise that sounded most un-Huxlike escaping him.

Kylo had no idea what to do. The last time he’d kissed someone, he’d still been a Jedi and it hadn’t been exactly sanctioned.

_Stop overthinking this._

Hux’s voice was warm and amused. Then he lifted one hand, laying it along the line of Kylo’s jaw and tilted his head just so. Kylo felt the lightest brush of Hux’s tongue against his mouth and parted his lips on impulse, responding in kind. It was almost overwhelming. He got a little too enthusiastic and Hux restrained him, the hand moving to the back of his neck.

_You even kiss like an inexperienced brat._

That made Kylo bristle.

_We shouldn’t be kissing at all. We’re being chased by mercenaries and you’re drunk. Almost the entire galaxy is after us, and all because you decided to shanghai me halfway around the Outer Rim._

He actually felt Hux smile against his mouth.

_So stop me._

Kylo let himself relax into the kiss, dragging his tongue through Hux’s mouth.

_You stop me, first._

*********

The fight was going well. Corvis was laughing uproariously from his improvised bunker of tables and chairs, coming up intermittently to fire his blaster.

The mercenary hadn’t been lying when he’d said that they had bought reinforcements.

In the space that had once been the main seating area, Kasha moved with grace and intent. The fallen bodies of Hutt hired hands surrounded her, all missing various limbs and groaning loudly. She ducked a blaster shot and effortlessly amputated the arm of the person responsible. Brantill had long since hightailed it out of the cantina, spewing threats and curses. Not that it had helped, because the retreating mercenaries had run into something they really hadn’t been expecting.

Kasha stopped, breathing heavily from her exertions. She listened for the last few shouts to die down and then the cantina doors opened. He face split into a wide smile when she saw the two women walk in. They had discarded their robes and still held their lightsabers, the blades matching shades of bright blue. They extinguished them as they came forward, moving through the fallen. The Nelvaanian had Brantell by the collar and was dragging him behind her.

‘You always leave them alive.’ the Devaronian said, her sharp teeth glinting as she smiled.

‘No point in killing them, Lendry.’ Kasha replied. ‘This way they learn.’

‘Hear that, Jokhan?’ Lendry turned to address her companion. ‘Our fearless leader has been educating the masses again.’ Jokhan laughed, her fangs on show. She hauled the mercenary in front of her and shoved him down the steps so he sprawled at Kasha’s feet.

‘We found this outside.’ she said. ‘What do you want to do with him?’ Kasha walked over to the man who was now on his knees and quaking in fear. She knelt down and looked at him. He flinched visibly when she got a little too close.

‘You are going to take a message to the Hutts.’ she said. ‘Tell them I am going to be bringing the fight to them very shortly so if they don’t want to end up a greasy smear on the side of a star ship they had better start getting with the programme.’ She grabbed him by his shirt. ‘You got that, Brantell? And the next time they try to take me, it had better not be alive. Now kriff off.’ She stood up and watched as he scrambled to his feet, running out the door fast enough that he was mostly a blur. A deep laugh behind her made her turn. Corvis was standing up from behind his barricade.

‘You’re just making things worse.’ he said, shaking his head at the three women. ‘This is supposed to be an exercise in discretion.’

‘Ha.’ Lendry scoffed, hooking her lightsabre back on her belt. ‘Like you’d know anything about that Corvis. You’re the man who blew up an entire spice mine just so you could show off to her.’ The word ‘her’ was accompanied by a nod in Kasha’s direction.

‘Lendry has a point.’ Kasha was smiling at him. ‘Now shall we go find our lost childen?’

**********

Kylo had no idea how long they’d been kissing for, but it was very hard to breathe when they finally parted.

‘Now what?’ he asked and Hux’s copper eyebrows went up.

‘I do believe we were supposed to go back to the ship.’ he replied and gently pushed Kylo away, stepping past him and looking extremely smug. ‘Although I think this time, I’ll try and find our way there. You seem to be getting us into nothing but trouble.’

Kylo watched him go in open-mouthed indignation, then had to jog to catch up with him. When he got level with Hux, he got a sidelong smile. It was enough to make his heart start thumping wildly and Kylo cursed himself for how easily he’d fallen into what was quickly turning out to be a kriff up of galactic proportions.


	16. The Start of Something Else

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Now they need to find their way out...

‘Kriff!’ Hux was pressed flat against the wall of a rickety structure. He was peering out from behind it, his eyes fixed on the group of mercenaries that had just run past. They were the same ones that had been on their tail earlier. ‘This place is a maze.’

‘See?’ Kylo’s voice was beyond smug. ‘Told you it wasn’t just me!’

‘Shut up, Ren.’ Hux hissed. He looked back to see that Kylo’s face matched his voice. ‘You weren’t any closer to finding our way out of here.’

‘I could use the Force to get us out.’ Kylo’s dark eyes were narrowed at him. Hux felt an urge to smack him in his face.

His perfect, beautiful face.

Even that stupid scar of his was starting to grow on Hux. It was enough to make him want to beat his own head against the wall he was currently hiding behind in order to get some sense into his head. Then he felt a wave of dizziness as a result of the kriffing ‘house special’ and decided that was a terrible course of action. He settled for giving Kylo his most disapproving looked, one that had never failed to put the wind up every single one of his junior officers.

‘You could not.’ he turned back. ‘Now let me figure this out in peace.’

‘That may not be an option.’ Kylo said, the urgency in his voice catching Hux’s attention and the next thing he knew, Kylo was grabbing his hand (again!) and dragging him from their hiding place and hauling him right out into the open and past the mercenaries who were now watching in bemusement as they ran across the narrow street and down another alley.

Hux barely managed to look behind them, but when he did he saw the reason he was now being towed along behind Kylo once more.

‘Was that the Order?’ His voice hit his upper pitch limit in indignation.

‘Well, they certainly look like stormtroopers to me.’ Kylo snapped over his shoulder. They were running hell for leather down a passageway that was crammed with inhabitants of the bazaar, hanging in doorways and peering at the two men hurtling past from hidden courtyards.

‘What about the others?’ Hux said, barely dodging two children of questionable species. ‘Can’t you shout at Kasha or something and get them over here to get us out of this?’

‘That’s not how the Force works.’ Kylo snapped back at him, still running. ‘And you’re just as capable of doing that so why don’t YOU shut up and do something helpful instead of yelling at me!’ Hux felt the need to point out that he was in fact yelling himself, but instead he just glared at Kylo. The problem was that Kylo was so busy glaring back at him over his shoulder that they ended up running smack into a dead end.

They skidded to a halt and looked around them.

‘Oh, for kriff’s sake!’ Hux wanted to scream. He settled for grabbing Kylo by the jacket and shaking him. ‘Look where you’ve taken us!’

‘It’s not my fault!’ Kylo protested vehemently. ‘You distracted me!’ He turned and faced the entry to the yard they had found themselves in. Hux drew his blaster, taking up a defensive stance and sighting along it. They waited and at the first sign of movement Hux let lose a volley of shots. There was a very gratifying yell and then the fire was returned. They threw themselves to the sides of the yard, taking shelter as best as they could from the sudden rain of blaster fire.

Hux waited for a lull, then returned fire. Opposite him, Kylo watched him shoot and Hux felt a hint of grudging approval. He fell back against the wall, his back to it.

‘This is all your fault.’ he muttered and Kylo made an outraged noise.

‘Exactly how do you figure that?’ he snapped. ‘YOU KIDNAPPED ME!’

‘And you’re doing absolutely nothing about trying to get away.’ Hux replied. He leaned back over, and fired another round of shots. ‘Can’t you do something?’

‘Like what?’ Kylo hissed at him. ‘YOU forgot to bring my kriffing lightsabre and I haven’t exactly had a chance to re-equip myself.’

‘Can’t you just…?’ Hux huffed and made a vague gesture at him. ‘You’re supposed to be the all-powerful leader of the Knights of Ren aren’t you?’ He fell back in the face of renewed fire. There was more this time, so clearly there were reinforcements or the two groups had decided to team up.

‘Kriff.’ Kylo made a face and then stood up, drawing himself up to his full height. In spite of himself, Hux felt a little thrill go through him. He felt a flash of heat in his chest at the remembered kiss. ‘If this goes to hell, remember it was your idea.’ He seemed about to jump put, when a massive shadow fell across the yard they were in and a roar like a Wookie with a sore paw rent the air.

It was Mosh and he was leaping down from the rooftops behind them with a blaster rifle that was easily the largest weapon Hux had ever seen. He landed between them, surprisingly graceful for such a large individual, firing down the alley and ululating at the top of his lungs. Hux heard the screams and general disorder his appearance had bought and it wasn’t long before they fell silent. Mosh lowered his very impressive weapon and grinned at them, his smile a white slash in his dark blue face.

‘There you are.’ he said. ‘I don’t suppose either of you thought to use your communicators?’

**********

‘So now what?’ Lendry asked as they made their way through the lower reaches of the bazaar. All of them were well used to moving through crowds unobserved and the Force masked them as they made their way back to the hangar bays.  
‘Now we need a new game plan.’ Kasha said. ‘I was going to send Corvis and Mosh to go and talk to Oluru, but now I think a little down time might be a good idea.’ She glanced at Corvis, who was striding along next to her. ‘Stay on planet for a bit, at least until we have those two more or less trained.’

‘We could feel the one called Ren when we arrived.’ Jokhan said. ‘He’s strong. The other one though…’

‘He needs to be unlocked.’ Lendry said. ‘Find his passion.’

‘Oh that shouldn’t be too hard.’ Kasha grinned at Corvis. ‘I think he might be starting to.’ Corvis returned her smile.

‘Seems like we just have to tap into the things he likes.’ he said. ‘And I can’t say that having another engineer aboard is going to go amiss. He’s talented.’

‘Well, he did build an entire planet that harnessed the power of the sun to take out an entire system.’ Lendry said. ‘I would expect him to be.’ She glanced at Jokhan. ‘My question is what exactly are we going to do with them?’

‘Train them.’ Kasha replied. ‘Get them on our side.’

‘The one called Ren is dangerous.’ Jokhan growled. ‘I can feel the Darkness inside him.’ Kasha smiled. Out of all of them Jokhan was the one who walked closest to the Light.

‘He will learn to control that.’ she assured her. ‘I did.’

‘You were younger when you began your path.’ Jokhan replied. ‘He is grown. And an apprentice to that madman.’

‘Their link has been broken.’ Kasha said. ‘If Snoke wants to come and take Kylo back, he’s going to have to get his wrinkled arse in a ship and come get him.’

‘He might just do that.’ Lendry’s voice was thoughtful. ‘It would be an interesting confrontation.’

‘Now is not the time.’ Kasha replied. ‘He needs to find himself again first and find something he can fight for, something he’d die to protect. Then he can confront Snoke.’

They were now moving up through the upper levels, and towards the hangars when the communicator in Corvis’ pocket sounded. He took it out and answered it.

‘We’ve got them.’ Mosh said over the link. ‘I found them in the Maze.’

‘Idiots.’ Corvis chuckled. ‘So much for Force sensitives being able to find their way around. Are they back on the ship with you?’

‘Yeah.’ Mosh was chuckling a well, and Kasha felt a surge of affection for the man that had been like a brother to her for almost twenty years. ‘Although the General seems a little worse for wear.’

‘Yeah, we’re not taking him drinking with us until he’s had some more training.’ Corvis said. ‘He seems to be a little susceptible to home brew.’ He suddenly spotted something and pulled up. The others had noticed what he’d just seen as well and as a group they had all frozen in place, moving around Corvis as they engaged their powers, blending into the background as a group of First Order troopers moved past at speed. ‘Mosh? Did you happen to run into any First Order crew?’

‘Oh yeah.’ The Twi’Lek laughed over the communicator. ‘The General is hopping about that. Something about his own troops coming after him.’

‘Well, they’re not his troops anymore.’ Corvis had dropped his voice. ‘What’s it like at the ship?’

‘We’ve put them in the smuggling compartment.’ Mosh said. ‘Just in case.’

‘Nice.’ Kasha said. ‘You’ve locked them up together in an enclosed space? You’re brave.’ Mosh’s deep laugh crackled over the communicator.

‘Just hurry your arses up.’ he replied. ‘We need to dust off this shitty planet.’

‘That’s a given’ Corvis said. ‘We’ll be there in ten.’ Kasha looked at Lendry and Jokhan.

‘We’ll rendezvous at the planet.’ she said.

‘How long?’ Lendry asked.

‘Pack for an extended stay.’ Kasha replied.

‘Excellent.’ Jokhan said. ‘The planet should be fine.’ She enjoyed the open spaces and Kasha knew it reminded her of her home world.

‘Sudaka?’ Lendry asked Kasha and she nodded.

‘They will join us as soon as they are able.’ she replied. ‘Now you two better go.’

‘We’ll see you planet side.’ Lendry said, pulling her hood up over her face. ‘Good hunting.’ Jokhan did the same and they melted into the crowd.

Kasha and Corvis waited until they were out of sight and then did the same, going in the opposite direction. They moved through the bazaar, familiarity making it easy for them to avoid the troopers that now seemed to be everywhere. They got to the hangar and noticed that troopers had surrounded the ships.

‘Now this is a problem.’ Corvis said.

‘No, it’s not.’ Kasha grinned. ‘Watch this.’

‘Kriff.’ Corvis muttered in her wake as she strode towards the patrol with a purposeful look. ‘I hate it when you do this.’ They got to the assembled troopers and the one with a scarlet pauldron turned to block their pathway.

‘This area is sectioned off.’ the modulated voice informed them.

‘Really?’ Corvis asked with a brilliant smile. ‘Because that’s my ship right behind you.’

‘Whose authority are you here on anyway?’ Kasha demanded and Corvis winced a little at the brusqueness of her voice. He’d been raise to see the advantages of a good charm offensive, but Kasha could be as abrasive as a Corellian pumice stone when she chose to be.

‘The First Order believes that two dangerous criminals have taken refuge on this planet.’ The trooper intoned. ‘We will be searching every part of the bazaar and every ship. Now move along before we do it for you.’

Corvis sighed and put his hand to his face.

‘Now you’ve done it.’ He muttered. Next to him, Kasha’s eyes were blazing. ‘Larla, calm down.’ Of course, he knew he was too late even as he said it. He watched as his wife lifted her hand and uttered a few choice words. They took effect and her mouth curled in a satisfied smile, as she walked right the troopers with Corvis trailing behind her. ‘Do you have to do that?’ Kasha glanced back to wear she had left the troopers all attempting to stand on their heads.

‘It’s not my fault they’re so easy to manipulate.’ she retorted.

They got to the Kyari and approached the lowered ramp. Mosh was just moving the last of the food supplies on board. He grinned as he approached them.

‘This place is crawling with mercs and troopers.’ he rumbled. ‘I also may have gotten in a couple of kegs of the house special.’

‘Good.’ Corvis said as he walked past. ‘I think we’ll need it. Have they blocked off the flight routes?’

‘According to the scanners, there’s a ship just outside the atmospheric boundary.’ Mosh said. ‘Big. Maybe a destroyer.’ He stopped to close the landing ramp and then proceeded to haul the food supplies into the crash room, the muscles in his arms bulging.

‘Wonderful.’ Corvis huffed. ‘This day just keeps getting better and better. You want to go tell the boys they can come out the hold?’

‘No.’ Kasha said with a wicked smile on her face. ‘I think we’ll leave them in there until we’re off planet. They seem to be keeping themselves occupied.’

Corvis looked at her, then shook his head and made for the cockpit. Kasha watched him leave and then looked down at her feet. The hidden compartment was just underneath her and she could feel the feelings that were coming from the two people below. They were enough o make her chuckle to herself and walk off towards the crash room in search of Bhutara.

********

Underneath the flooring, Hux hunched his shoulders and did his best to maintain some semblance of dignity in spite of the fact that he was hiding in a smuggler’s compartment. There was only just enough light to make out Kylo next to him.

‘It could be worse.’ Kylo said. He was stretched out on his back, the leather bag under his head. ‘You should take the opportunity to get some rest.’

‘You seem strangely comfortable down here.’ Hux snapped and Kylo rested the back of his wrist against his forehead.

‘I spent so much time hiding in compartments like this on the Falcon.’ he said, and his voice was soft. ‘I’d wait for them to come find me. My mother was really good at it.’ He turned his head and there was a quick smile. ‘She’s Force Sensitive so it was never really much of a challenge for her and Chewie could always smell where I was. The only one who took ages to find me was…’ He trailed off and Hux frowned.

‘Your father?’ he asked. He could feel a well of something that was not quite sadness from Kylo.

‘When I was little, we used to it all the time.’ Kylo was now looking away from him. ‘But as I got older, he seemed to lose patience with me. And once Snoke started talking to me, I didn’t want him to find me. I could sit in the dark and pretend like I didn’t belong to them, that I was already his apprentice.’ Hux looked down at him.

‘What kinds of things did he say to you?’ he asked. He could feel the discomfort that was now coming from Kylo, but his self-preservation had gone the same way as his sobriety so he pressed on. ‘It must have been something to make you abandon your family and your order.’

‘He praised me.’ Kylo’s voice sounded small and Hux was astonished by this. ‘He told me how special I was, how powerful I would be. He knew that the other Paduwans would make fun of me, how I looked. I was big and awkward and clumsy and they would mock me for it. He’d tell me how we’d make them pay for that.’ That gave Hux a chill, and he unconsciously leaned over a bit.

‘You were a child.’ he said. ‘All children feel like that sometimes.’ The alcohol had lowered his defences a bit and he felt a rush of sympathy for the man next to him. ‘I certainly had my fair share of people trying to do the same to me.’

‘You did?’ There was a strange little tone in Kylo’s voice.

‘Of course.’ Hux snorted. ‘Son of the notorious Brendol Hux, trying to make it through the Academy on his own merits?’ He huffed a humourless laugh. ‘The amount of shit I got given just for existing. Every cadet thought they could make a name for themselves by beating me up.’ He sighed. ‘It really didn’t help that my father did everything in his power to distance himself from me, the old bastard.’

‘I didn’t know that?” Kylo said and sat up, leaning his elbows on his knees.

‘Why would you?’ Hux asked, slurring a little. He was starting to feel extremely tired. ‘I never told anyone.’ He snorted again. ‘I think I was the only person on the Finalizer apart from you who had no close associations at all.’ He fell silent and then felt Kylo shift so he was a little closer.

‘I always thought that if things were different that we might have…’ He trailed off. ‘That our working relationship may have been more cordial.’

‘You mean if you hadn’t stormed onto my ship in front of my crew and not treated me like I was an inconvenience to you?’ Hux chuckled, but he found that there was now genuine affection in it.

When did that happen?

‘I was intimidated by you.’ Kylo said and that made Hux actually burst out laughing.

‘What?’ he asked, a little astounded. ‘How?’

‘You hear things.’ Kylo protested. ‘General Hux, who runs his ship with an iron fist. The youngest man to ever make the rank of General in the history of the Empire and the First Order. I wanted to make an impression on you, and that seemed to be the best way to do it.’

‘By being incredibly rude and then spending the next six years destroying my ship one console at a time?’ Hux said. ‘You were obviously not very well informed as to what constitutes polite behaviour.’ He was smiling now, his tone sharp. He’d waited a long time to get to say this, but Kylo’s next words quite took the wind out of his sails.

‘You looked so put together.’ he said, and now he sounded almost like a sulky child. ‘I knew that if you saw me, saw what I was, that you’d never take me seriously. And it wasn’t my fault that I didn’t know how to behave. It wasn’t exactly on the curriculum. I hadn’t been in polite company since I left the Jedi. Snoke made sure I was kept away from everyone except him and the other acolytes.’ His words were accompanied by a flicker of something and Hux let his mind chase after it, his curiosity getting the better of him. Kylo felt him in his head and shut down immediately, but not before Hux got a glimpse.

‘You were lonely.’ he said, and the surprise was evident in his own voice.

‘So were you.’ Kylo replied. ‘I can feel it.’ They looked at each other, their eyes meeting and holding. Hux felt a warmth inside him that he’d only rarely felt before.

‘You kissed me.’ he said and Kylo looked away. ‘Why?’

‘Because I wanted to.’ he replied. ‘I haven’t been able to do what I’ve wanted for a long time so I saw an opportunity and took it.’

The implications of those words hit Hux in the chest.

‘So does that mean you’ve wanted to kiss me before?’ he asked.

‘What if I have?’ Kylo was looking back at him again, his eyes wary and his tone cautious.

Hux felt like he was at a crossroads. He could pull back from this, could close himself off again. The thing was, he didn’t want to.

‘I might have wanted to kiss you too.’ he replied.

Their eyes met, and Hux realised that it would take almost no effort to lean over and kiss Kylo. He was about to progress things when the engines started up behind them. Kylo pulled back from him, and looked at the ceiling of the compartment.

‘We’re taking off.’ he said. Hux allowed himself a small smile. Sometimes Kylo could be as obtuse as kriff.

‘Yes, so it would seem.’ he said. ‘Now come back here.’

‘You’re still drunk.’ Kylo muttered but he shifted even closer, his breath a drift of warm air against Hux’s face. ‘And when you’ve sobered up you’ll hate me again.’

‘I hate you now, if it’s any help.’ Hux replied. He moved so they were an inch apart. ‘But I’ll absolutely detest you if you don’t shut up and kiss me again.’ He nudged Kylo’s cheek with his nose and was rewarded with a sharp intake of breath. He turned and Hux more or less launched himself at him, taking the initiative again as he had before. He lifted one hand and sank his fingers into the loose hair at the base of Kylo’s neck, smiling against his mouth when it proved to be every bit as soft as he’d thought.

Kylo made a small noise and Hux pressed in, skilfully working his mouth open and brushing his tongue against Kylo’s very gently. True to his former form, Kylo took that as a sign to dive right in and Hux had to tighten his grip on his hair to stop himself being slobbered on. This got a whine and Hux felt heat flare through him.

_Really?_

_Shut up._ Kylo’s voice in his head was even sulkier than before. _You know this is a very bad idea, right?_

_Then why did you start?_

The kiss deepened and Hux felt his heart hammering in his chest. He couldn’t remember the last time he’d found himself in this position.

 _Me either._ The confession was hesitant.

 _Why not? It’s not like you are unattractive._ The thought was out there before Hux could even control himself.

_I never thought I deserved it._

Hux pulled back. Kylo’s eyes were dark and deep and they threatened to drag him in and drown him.

‘What is this?’ he asked.

‘I honestly don’t know.’ Kylo’s voice was deep, rumbling with something halfway between hesitation and arousal. ‘None of what’s happened makes sense anymore.’ He sighed softly, looking down and breaking the gaze. ‘I am so far from where I was a week ago. I can feel it, like someone’s turned off part of my mind and at the same time it’s opened up.’ He raised his eyes again and Hux thought that he looked ridiculously young. ‘I have no idea who I am anymore. I haven’t felt this lost since I was a child.’

Hux stared at him.

‘I’m sorry.’ he said. ‘If I hadn’t done this, you would probably be safe on your way to Snoke right now.’

‘I’m not.’ Kylo replied, and then his dark eyes lit up with a ferocity that Hux had never seen on him before. It was defiant and bright, like a fire threatening to rage out of control. ‘I have no idea what’s going to happen to me, but it’s like I’ve been in a coma and now I’m starting to come out of it.’ Hux smiled and Kylo frowned.

‘What?’ Hux asked and Kylo reached up, the tip of his forefinger tracing the corner of Hux’s mouth.

‘I’m still trying to get used to that.’ he said.

‘So am I.’ Hux replied. He was about to reconnect their mouths when the lid of the compartment opened and light flooded in. It was Mosh and he was grinning broadly.

‘All clear.’ he said. ‘We’re past the destroyer. Your guys are pretty keen on making an impression.’ He held his hand down and Kylo got to his feet and handed up his bag, then hauled himself out. ‘I guess nothing says galactic omnipotence like a massive ship.’

‘All superlative pieces of equipment, I assure you.’ Hux said, struggling to his feet. He moved to the side of the compartment and waited for Mosh to help him out, being a little unsteady. The Twi’Lek moved to help him, but before he could Kylo was there, hand extended. Hux looked up at him and then took it, feeling a little thrill at the impressive display of strength as Kylo simply lifted him out of the compartment.

‘Where are we headed?’ he asked.

‘Kasha’s planet.’ Mosh said, replacing the compartment cover and then walking back towards the cockpit.

‘Is it actually her planet though?’ Hux asked as he and Kylo followed him.

‘It might as well be.’ Mosh said. ‘There’s no sentient creatures there. Kasha says that’s one of the reasons Mara chose it.’ They moved from the main corridor into the crew passage and as they approached his cabin, Hux was seized with the idea that a nap would be a very good idea.

‘You should go sleep.’ Kylo said and Hux gave him a look.

‘Are you always going to be in my head now?’ he asked, but there was no vitriol in it at all.

‘Go sleep Hux.’ Kylo repeated. His face held a shadow of a smile. He moved off after Mosh and Hux went to the door of his cabin. He pressed the entrance panel and the door slid open revealing a curled up Millicent who lifted her head and blinked sleepily at him. Hux stumbled into the cabin, the door shutting behind him. He got to the edge of the bed and struggled to take his boots off, falling down and getting a loud mew of protest from Millicent as he ousted her from her spot.

Hux lay back and contemplated what had just been the oddest, most exhilarating and befuddling hour of his entire life. He chuckled and drew Millicent to him, folding her in his arms and closing his eyes.

*********

Kylo got to the cockpit and took his seat next to Kasha, just behind Mosh and Corvis. She gave him a sidelong smile.

_Well, this has been an interesting day._

Kylo returned it.

_Yes. It certainly has._


	17. Coming In To Land

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Kyari returns home.

For [viella](http://viella-art.tumblr.com/) who is a wonderful, talented person who makes the most amazing[ art](http://viella-art.tumblr.com/post/144521542963/for-shortarms-bigteeths-fic-to-the-ends-of-the) and has the best ideas in the world. XDDD I am very glad we started shouting at each other. Y'all have her to thank for the smitten Kylo bar scene.

************

Hux woke up with a headache, a foul temper and feeling like Millicent had used his mouth for a litter tray. He squinted into the dark of the cabin and tried to recall the previous events. When he did, it was enough to make him blush and then curse in Arkanian, something he hadn’t done in years.

Kylo Ren had kissed him. And then to make matters worse, he had kissed Kylo Ren back.

‘Oh, you kriffing idiot.’ he muttered to himself. An inquisitive mew alerted him to the fact that Millicent was lying on his chest. Hux reached up and scratched her ears. ‘Millie, you have no idea of the act of colossal idiocy I have committed.’

Millicent mewed at him again and started to knead the front of his shirt. Hux was suddenly aware that he smelt like the after-effects of a very long party and decided he needed to clean himself up.

‘Lights up.’ he said and the glare made him wince and then backtrack immediately. ‘Lights fifty percent.’ The resulting dim glow was much kinder to his hungover state and it also allowed him to see that the bag with his new belongings in it had somehow appeared at the end of his bunk. Hux frowned. He had had the bag with him in the bar before he and Corvis had started drinking but he had no recollection of taking it with him. It must have been Kasha and Corvis.

He sat up, the twinge in his temples flaring into a full on headache. Millicent, having been unceremoniously removed went to the door of the cabin and scratched at it, mewing. Hux glared at her, but eventually he got up and walked over to activate the door panel. As it slid back, he saw Bhutara standing there with her hand raised as is about to knock.

‘You’re alive.’ she said cheerfully. ‘Good. Go and wash the reek off yourself and come and eat.’

The refresher was cramped but the water in the shower was hot and not too chemical smelling. Hux managed to get there without running into anyone (Ren) and then locked himself in, undressed and stepped into the shower to wash himself thoroughly using the new toiletry kit he’d bought at the bazaar. He’d even managed to get hold of an electro-razor, but when he stepped out of the shower and looked at himself in the mirror he hesitated. The ginger stubble that covered his face made him look so vastly different that no-one in the First Order would have recognised him like this.

Hux rubbed one hand over his face, feeling how the bristles were starting to soften. It was a good disguise, even if his former self was recoiling in horror at the thought of being bearded. He replaced the razor in the bag and then got dressed in the clean undergarments, trousers and shirt. He’d bought several changes of clothing in the market and today’s combination was black and deep blue. He felt tempted to button the shirt up to the neck and leave the sleeves down, but then sighed and rolled them up and left the neck of the shirt open. He pulled his boots back on over clean socks and felt more like himself than he had in days. The last thing was to fasten the belt around his hips, securing the blaster holster then taking his blaster out and looking at it. It was a modified version of a trooper weapon, coded to his fingerprint and the only remnant of who he used to be.

Hux sighed and re-holstered the blaster and then reached for the leather pouch that he’d hung from one of the hooks on the bulkhead. His fingers tingled ever so slightly as they brushed the leather. He’d been a little puzzled when he’d discovered it around his neck, but then the little scene in the bar had come back to him.

Hux took the pouch off the hook and closed his hand around it. He could feel the shape of the crystal inside and as he held it, it seemed as if a gentle heat was coming through the leather. He worked the neck open and then stared when he tipped the crystal onto his palm. He knew he had been drunk the day before but he could have sworn the crystal was clear when he’d picked it up. Now it was a deep warm amber, shot through with slivers of fiery orange. Hux took it between his thumb and forefinger and held it up to the light of the refresher, frowning as he studied it. A knock at the refresher door startled him and he replaced the crystal inside its pouch and then grabbed his bag, tucking the wash-kit inside. Then he opened the door and saw Mosh standing there.

‘General.’ he said with a broad smile and stepped in past Hux, who sighed and walked off down the corridor. He took the opposite way around to the crew corridor, going to his cabin and unpacked the rest of the bag into the storage locker built into the bulkhead at the head of his bunk. There were a few other shirts and one more pair of trousers, undergarments and the washbag and electro razor. Everything was more than likely second or third hand, but Hux wasn’t fussy at this point. The clothes had been clean and of a decent quality and more importantly something that General Hux of the First Order wouldn’t be seen dead in. The only things that remained of who he had been were his gloves, his boots and his blaster.

And of course Millicent.

It was then that Hux noticed that she was absent from the bed where he’d left her.

‘Millie?’ he said, then made a face as he realised how ridiculous he sounded. He huffed and left the cabin, walking to the crash room and going inside. Predictably he found his errant feline balancing on the galley counter, her tail in the air and eating daintily from a bowl. Bhutara was standing next to her, humming as she stirred a pot. Corvis and Kasha were both absent and, surprisingly, so was Kylo. Bhutara glanced back at him and gestured at the booth with her spoon.

‘Sit, Hux.’ she said.

‘Where is everyone?’ he asked and accepted the bowl she bought him, amused on some level how he’d fallen back into his Academy habit of simply waiting to be fed.

‘It will take about another twelve hours to get to where we are going.’ Bhutara said and bought her own food over to him. ‘Kasha and Corvis are taking some catch up time.’ She grinned. ‘Be thankful you were as inebriated as you were. We could hear them all the way through the bulkhead.’ She cackled at his scandalised expression. ‘They are no doubt sleeping it off.’ Hux snorted and tried the stew she’d given him, smiling at the taste.

‘Where did you learn to cook?’ he asked, as much to change the subject as out of curiosity.

‘When I was in the pleasure house I started in the kitchens.’ Bhutara said. ‘They were waiting until I was older, then they planned to auction off my virginity to the highest bidder.’ She gave him a wicked smile. ‘How do you think I was able to poison everyone?’

‘So you really killed everyone?’ Hux couldn’t help giving his stew a suspicious look. Bhutara laughed, rich and full of amusement.

‘Not everyone.’ She said. ‘That is a bit of an exaggeration. There were plenty of us who escaped that night. After that I became a street child. It was hard, but better than being fucked to make some fat Hutt rich.’ She smiled at the surprise on Hux’s face. ‘When I was a few years older, I made the mistake of picking the pocket of one Oluru Corvis while she was out and about. She boxed my ears and then dragged me onto her ship, washed me up, clothed me and introduced me to her son.’

‘So you know Corvis well?’ Hux asked and she nodded.

‘We have been friends a long time.’ she replied. ‘I witnessed the ship collision that was his and Kashyenka’s courtship first hand.’ She chuckled. ‘Remind me to tell you about it sometime. It makes for a wonderful warning against the dangers of love. Although Corvis did introduce me to Mosh, so I suppose I owe him that.’ Then a gleam came into her purple eyes and she leaned her chin on her hand, elbow on the table. ‘I, however, am far more interested in what was going on yesterday.’

Hux almost choked on his food.

‘Why?’ he spluttered. ‘What did you hear?’

‘Oh nothing.’ Bhutara’s smile was wide. ‘But I can feel the emotions swirling around both of you.’ Her eyes were actually twinkling at him. ‘He’s in the cockpit, if you want to go talk to him.’  
‘What is he doing in there?’ Hux asked, feeling like he was completely losing the plot.

‘Flying the ship.’ Bhutara said.

**********

Kylo sat back in the pilot’s seat, a riot of conflicting emotions running through him. The Kyarī was similar enough to the Falcon that even his long sabbatical from being in a Corellian ship wasn’t deterring him from piloting her. Corvis had set the navigation system before he and Kasha had gone to go and have some ‘quality time’, so the only thing he really had to do was monitor the systems and check they were on the correct flight path. Mosh had proven to be an amiable companion, not given to small talk, which Kylo had been extremely thankful for. He heard the sound of steps behind him, and half turned. To his surprise though it wasn’t the Twi’Lek.

‘Hux.’ It came out sounding hesitant and Kylo wanted to kick his own backside for sounding like a lovesick Paduwan.

‘Ren.’ Hux looked uncomfortable and Kylo reached out a little. He felt Hux’s disconcertion and realised that he was definitely the cause. ‘Bhutara said you were flying the ship.’ He was standing on the upper level of the cockpit, hands behind his back and Kylo supressed a small smile at how he had fallen into his old pattern. He turned back to look out the view port, watching the star lines.

‘She’s a lot like the Falcon.’ he said. ‘Although Corvis has made some interesting modifications.’ He hear Hux moving and then he was beside him. Kylo looked up at him, sensing how Hux was being torn between wanting to sit next to him and wanting to go back and hide in his cabin. Eventually he chose to sit.

‘Yesterday…’ he started and Kylo waved a hand at him.

‘Don’t say anything.’ he said, hating the way his heart stuttered at the thought of what might come out of Hux’s mouth. He did not want to be faced with denials, not after confessing the way he had. He probed gently and found that all of Hux’s impenetrable walls were back up. ‘We don’t have to talk about it.’

‘All right.’ Hux relaxed back into the co-pilot’s seat and little. He took a deep breath and seemed as if he was about to say something, but then he released it in a long controlled exhale. Kylo looked at him.

‘What is it?’ he asked. Hux frowned.

‘The crystal Kasha gave me yesterday.’ he said. ‘It’s changed colour.’

‘You are not familiar with kyber crystals?’ Kylo said. ‘I find that strange.’

‘They are artefacts of mysticism and superstition, Ren.’ Hux replied. ‘They never held an interest for me.’

‘The Sith were supposed to have used them for superweapons that would make Starkiller look like a child’s toy.’ Kylo said, grinning when Hux stiffened in his seat. He could never resist needling, especially when given such a wonderful opening.

‘Starkiller was a singularly magnificent piece of engineering.’ he retorted. ‘The fact that you managed to single-handedly sabotage the entire thing is still something that escapes my comprehension.’

‘It couldn’t have been that magnificent if it got taken down as easily as it was.’ Kylo replied. He couldn’t resist flashing Hux a smile and was gratified to see a slight reddening of the tips of Hux’s ears. That usually meant he was getting somewhere. He was also a little surprised to find that antagonising Hux was proving to be just as enjoyable as it had ever been.

‘Well, I wasn’t anticipating you being the galaxy’s biggest idiot, was I?’ he said snappishly. ‘Remind me to factor that into my plans the next time I build something, will you?’

‘I will.’ Kylo said. He looked at Hux. ‘So what colour is it?’ Hux huffed and folded his arms.

‘I’m not so sure I want to tell you now.’ he said. He glanced at Kylo. ‘Is the colour important?’

‘I can signify your alliance with the Force.’ Kylo said. ‘My uncle’s lightsabre was green. He is a man of peace and devotion to his faith.’

‘You sound a little bitter about that.’ Hux remarked. ‘Kasha’s is gold.’

‘She’s driven by forces that make her passionate.’ Kylo said. ‘She’s also extremely skilled, and at the same time she doesn’t heed anyone’s bid to control her. She walks between the Light and the Dark and yet she’s never fallen.’ He reached up automatically, his hand going to the pouch around his own neck.

‘What about yours?’ Hux asked, his face suddenly curious.

‘It reflects who he is now.’ Kasha’s voice came from behind them and they turned to see her standing above them. ‘His is aligned with both the Light and the Dark.’ She looked at Hux. ‘Just like yours will.’ Kylo noticed that she looked significantly more relaxed, and when he reached out he could feel a deep seated harmony flowing through her. She was dressed, but her hair was loose and she looked slightly sleepy.

‘You and Corvis finally done?’ he asked and she grinned.

‘We were done hours ago. I’ve been catching up on my sleep.’ She replied. ‘And don’t be impertinent to your Master.’

‘You’re not my Master.’ Kylo replied. ‘You said so yourself.’

‘So I did.’ she said. ‘But I am still your teacher and it’s time for class.’ She turned around. ‘Mosh can fly for a while. Come on. Both of you.’ They passed Mosh on their way out and he laughed.

‘Try not to hurt them.’ he rumbled.

‘No promises.’ Kasha shot back. She led them to the hold and they went in. She gestured for them to sit and Kylo promptly did, shifting to get comfortable. Hux clearly wasn’t and he folded himself down awkwardly, copying Kylo’s cross-legged pose.

‘So what marvels await us today?’ he asked, his voice a little sharp.

‘Today is simple.’ Kasha said. ‘Meditation. We have about twelve hours before we get where we’re going and it will be good to try and fill some of that time.’

‘Not until I get to ask some questions.’ Hux said and Kasha raised an eyebrow at him.

‘Such as?’ she asked.

‘This.’ Hux gestured at where the pouch that held his crystal made a bump under his shirt. ‘We were talking about the change in colour.’

‘It’s changed already?’ Kasha said and she actually looked impressed. ‘That’s unusual for someone who’s as new to this as you are.’ She held out her hand. ‘Let me see it.’ Hux looked at Kylo, and Kylo nodded slightly. Hux dug it out and started to lean forward to hand it to her, but then it floated out of his grasp and came to circle in the air in front of Kasha.

‘Interesting.’ she said. Kylo looked at the floating crystal and then snickered.

‘It’s going to match your hair.’ he said and Hux shot him a glare that could have stripped flesh from bone.

_Shut up, Ren._

‘It’s true though.’ he replied, not caring that he was probably heading in with both feet. Hux shook his head at him and assumed the haughty expression that Kylo knew meant he was done with what he would have termed Kylo’s childishness.

‘True or not, once I have assembled one of your ridiculous antiquated weapons I shall be sure to show you in great detail just how perfectly designed it’s going to be.’ Hux said, then directed himself to Kasha. ‘Exactly how and when is that going to happen, by the way?’

‘When we get to the planet.’ Kasha replied. ‘And once you have the ability. It shouldn’t take you long. It’s only been a week and you are communicating with Kylo extremely well using telepathy. That’s a good sign. You mastered Force masking all by yourself and some Jedi never accomplish that. You use mind tricks without even realising it. Your powers are substantial, they just need to be directed. Which is why Kylo is going to begin by training you in the basic skills that a Jedi learns.’

‘What?” Kylo couldn’t believe his ears. ‘Why me?’

‘Because you need to remember things from the beginning.’ Kasha said. ‘Snoke has been messing around in there all these years.’ She gestured at his head. ‘We need to start removing his toxic influence and let you regain yourself again. You have an awful lot of potential locked up in there, but he suppressed much of it.’ Hux snorted when she said that.

‘He managed to stop a blaster bolt in mid-air yesterday.’ he said and Kylo felt the tiniest flicker of admiration from him. ‘That didn’t look like supressed power to me.’

‘That’s only because you have no idea of who’s sitting next to you.’ Kasha said, her penetrating gaze not leaving Kylo’s face. ‘This is the grandson of Anakin Skywalker, largely believed to have been the Chosen One before he fell to the Dark Side. He is the nephew of Luke Skywalker, considered to be the greatest Jedi of this or any other time. What Kylo is capable of will dwarf any power that I have or you have for that matter.’

Kylo stared at her, her words shocking him into silence. Next to him, Hux was looking at him with a expression that could best be described as sceptical.

‘Then why did he routinely kriff up and then spend an inordinate amount of time destroying ship components in order to deal with his failure?’ he asked and the sharpness of his tone stung.

‘Balance.’ Kasha replied. ‘Or lack thereof to be more specific.’ She smiled and spoke to him directly. ‘If you had remained Ben Skywalker-Solo, this would have been the same. You have too much of both sides inside you to be happy on either one. We just need to find a way to get you there.’ She settled herself own and placed her hands on her knees. ‘Now shut up and begin.’

************

Some hours later, Hux had an epiphany and that epiphany was that he had no idea how he’d gone so long in his adult life without meditating.

It had gone so much better than his abortive first attempt. For one thing he’d felt a lot more comfortable beside Kylo now that they had had their little…interlude, although he would have gladly been executed before admitting it. He did suspect that Kylo had picked up on this though he had said nothing. Secondly, he had listened carefully to Kasha’s guidance. She had shown him how to free himself of the outside distractions around him and focus in on himself and Hux had done it with the single minded focus he usually gave his projects. It was singularly freeing and he had none of the strain from that first time and he did take a moment to wonder just why it was now proving so easy.

He could also feel something he’d never felt before.

Kylo’s rantings about the Force had always annoyed him intensely, mostly because he’d never felt it the way Kylo described it being. It had always been like trying to keep out a persistent noise in his head. Now he was starting to realise that when he let it in, it was nothing of the kind. He couldn’t begin to describe what it felt like, only that it was strangely soothing and an enormous relief to finally stop fighting.

Now he could feel things around him, like everything was in sharp relief. The power from the ship, from the people on her and even the furry ball now lying him next to him were all warm ripples in the flow of light and sound and texture that moved through him. If he concentrated he found he could pick up the other three moving around the ship, feel what they were doing. Next to him, Kylo was a still as a monolith and his energy was like deep still water. Across from him, Kasha’s glowed like a warm ember.

Hux felt a slight shift, light a light touch against his consciousness and started to let go of his focus and rise back out of his meditative state. When he opened his eyes, Kasha was looking at him. She smiled and it was pleased.

‘Well done.’ she said. ‘You’re doing very well. How was it?’

‘It’s remarkable.’ Hux replied. ‘I feel very clear headed.’

‘A result of a lifetime of fighting against that which you have a natural affinity for.’ Kasha said. She looked down at where Millicent was curled up next to him. She had come in while they were meditating and Hux had felt her come over and curl up. ‘She seems to approve.’

There was a chime at the door and it opened to reveal Corvis standing there. He walked in and held out a hand to Kasha.

‘Lendry and Jokhan are en route.’ he said. ‘There’s also been a comm from Eldrine which I’m sure you’ll want to see.’

Kasha took his hand and got up. Hux did the same and then looked at Kylo, still sitting with his eyes closed and deep in meditation. He hardly seemed to be breathing.

‘What about him?’ he asked and Kasha shook her head.

‘Leave him be.’ she replied. ‘He could do with a little longer.’

Hux gave Kylo one last look and the left the room, Millicent at his heels.

**********

The past, the present, the future. It all came and went and each vision was blurry and indistinct.

Kylo could feel nothing but empty space and it was thrilling and terrifying all at once to have himself completely to himself again. Long hidden corners of his mind were now open to him, long forgotten memories being dusted off and shown the light once more.

Some hurt, like the sound of his mother’s voice or the feeling of being loved to the point of distraction.

Some scared him, like the first time he saw what blood looked like on his hands or the way he’d trembled when bowing on his knees before Snoke.

Some were burned into his memory. A sunset on Naboo, constructing his first lightsabre, the screams of children that scattered before him like insects to be crushed under his heel.

Then there was a new memory. The taste of Hux’s mouth and the smell of his skin, the sound he made when Kylo pinned him against the wall.

He was vaguely aware that they had left him behind in the room, but he wasn’t bothered by it. Instead he allowed himself to sink deeper and deeper until there was nothing but the flow of the Force through him.

_You have come a long way._

The voice wasn’t one he’d ever heard before. It should have startled him. Instead there was something about it that was extraordinarily comforting.

_You’ve been trying to talk to me for a long time. It’s been impossible though. He was always there inside you, blocking me out. But now he’s gone and we can finally get to know each other a little._

Kylo’s eyes flew open. The hold was in darkness and he looked around, momentarily panicked.

‘Grandfather?’ He could feel the emotions welling up inside him. ‘Do not go.’

_Soon._

The voice faded out of reach and Kylo came back into himself completely. He could feel that he was drenched in sweat and breathing heavily.

‘Grandfather.’ It was a whisper.

Light fell across him as the hold door opened.

‘Are you still at it?’ Hux’s voice was incredulous. ‘You’ve been in here forever.’

Kylo blinked at him.

‘What are you talking about?’ he asked and Hux snorted.

‘We’re here.’ he said and then left Kylo to scramble to his feet and follow him. When they got to the cockpit it was to see Kasha and Corvis sitting at the control panel, guiding the Kyarī in on her approach. They looked back at them. Through the view port, Kylo could see a planet before them. It was beautiful, shades of green and blue as far as the eye could see and shrouded in cloud. He felt something inside him, like the chime of a deep bell.

‘What is this place?’ he asked Kasha and she smiled at him.

‘Your new home.’ she replied.

They came in through a dense misty atmosphere and out to fly over a landscape that reminded him of Starkiller base. He could feel Hux thinking the same thing. The land below was covered in dense taiga forest, soaring evergreen trees and large stretches of green meadow al punctuated with lakes that gleamed a glassy blue. It was pristine, not a single sign of human habitation anywhere from what could be seen from the view port. The ship swooped in, the shadow thrown over the ground tracking quickly. Kylo watched spellbound as they came over a rise and there it lay before him.

It was exactly as it had been in his dream visions, the long fall from the rocky ridge down to the meadow that stretched for miles before it rose and turned into forest. To the right there was another lake, this one massive and curved around the base of the mountains that rose behind a colossal ziggurat of black stone which caught the light. Corvis punched in sequences and the Kyarī turned in a graceful movement as she came in to land, settling down on the side of the ziggurat’s tower on a large level surface.

Even as the ship powered down, Kylo could see a figure standing in front of the opening to the tower. He could feel power radiating out of the person, the likes of which he’d never encountered and then a deep voice intoned in his head.

_Welcome._


	18. Come Inside and Stay A While

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Things move forward.

Night came quickly and the sky darkened to a deep velvety black spangled with lights. The kitchen and dining area of the ziggurat had a bank of massive windows and the twin moons cast a particularly bright light into the room, which was now also softly illuminated. The person they had met when they descended from the ship was unusual to say the least. Kylo could not believe the power that he felt flowing around them. That wasn’t their only unusual attribute, as Kasha had explained. Sudaka’s tribe was only able to reproduce asexually and so did not fall into any prescribed gender and was to be addressed simply as they.

Kylo cast a sidelong look at the Jedi Master as they sat and ate supper together at a long stone table in the zigurrat’s living quarters, for there was no disputing that was what Sudaka was. They had an agelessness that he was familiar with, having seen it in Snoke, but where Snoke was corrupted and withered from evil, Sudaka seemed to have been frozen at some indeterminate time in their middle age and stayed there. Their skin was a deep black, and they wore robes of midnight blue fabric that took on the hues of the long shadows cast inside the ziggurat. Sensing his scrutiny, Sudaka looked at him and Kylo glanced away, strangely abashed under that piercing stare. Sudaka’s irises were white and ringed with black and the effect was a little alarming. They gave him a slow smile.

_You are disconcerted, Kylo Ren._

That was the other thing. Sudaka did not speak, except through the Force, which explained why Kasha was so adept at telepathic communication. Kylo debated what to reply, but he had been warned by Kasha that Sudaka was extremely good at spotting lies.

‘You are unlike any Jedi I have ever met.’ he said and Sudaka inclined their head.

 _That is because you have not met our kind of Jedi._ There was a definite bite of sarcastic humour under the serene speech pattern.

‘He’s been out of training a long time too.’ Kasha said from her side of the table. ‘He’s going to take some work to knock out the shit that Snoke stuffed in his head, but I think we can do it.’

 _It seems as if there is a possibility for this. I approve of your decision._ Sudaka looked at Kasha and she grinned.

‘So I can take him as an apprentice?’ she asked.

_I feel that answering that question is somewhat redundant. You have already decided this._

‘Sudaka’s got you there, larla.’ Corvis said. Kylo was not quite sure how to react. Choosing an apprentice was something that required a great deal of meditation and thought for Jedis and yet here they were discussing it over supper like it was not that important.

It’s extremely important, but instinct is what will choose, and meditating on it for days will not change the initial decision one makes. Sudaka turned to look at him. You will discover this.

Kylo looked up and caught Hux’s eye. He was sitting diagonally across from him, and his green eyes were questioning when he looked back at Kylo.

‘Once we have finished eating, I’ll show you where you can sleep.’ Kasha said. She was glancing around for the earthenware pot of seasoning and Sudaka raised a hand. The pot floated across the table to Kasha, who took it and smiled her thanks. She caught Kylo’s mildly scandalised look. ‘What?’

‘The Force is a sacred thing…’ he started, Snoke’s words as well as Luke’s coming to him. Kasha snorted very loudly.

‘Nonsense.’ she said. ‘Using the Force until it is an extension of you is how you learn to master it. Both the Jedi and the Sith seemed to have missed the point that it simply is. How you wield it is the mark of who you will become. The Jedi use the force for Light and to fight the Dark, the Sith use it to fight the Light and cause chaos and disorder.’ She scattered a light dusting of the seasoning into her soup. ‘We use the Force for everything. We don’t discriminate when it comes to the powers it gives, be they from what others would call the Light or the Dark.’

 _It is simply power and the understanding of what one is capable of._ Sudaka’s voice was grave. _You must acknowledge the darkness in yourself instead of trying to eliminate it._

‘Can I ask something?’ Hux said and they all turned to look at him ‘If Ren is going to be your apprentice then whose am I going to be.’

 _Eldrine._ Sudaka was looking at him intently. _I feel you will make an excellent match._

‘Why does that name sound familiar?’ Hux asked and Kylo rolled his eyes at him.

‘We were talking about it when we were in the bar.’ he grinned. ‘While you were getting shit-faced.’ Hux gave him a haughty look and ignored him.

‘And when is she getting here?’ he asked. Kasha and Sudaka exchanged looks.

_I can see why he was a general._

‘They’re going to be a match made in pedantic paradise.’ Kasha replied, winking at Kylo.

**********

After they had eaten and everything had been cleared away, they were taken deeper into the structure by Kasha. The ziggurat was massive, a series of levels and interleading corridors that was positively maze-like.

‘How did your mother find this place?’ Hux asked as he trailed behind Kasha with Millicent tucked under one arm and his bag of meagre possessions over his shoulder.

‘She was on the run from the Corellian cartels.’ Kasha replied. ‘She was looking for a place to hide out and kind of stumbled across it. When she landed here she found that it was lacking in sentient species. She surmised that whoever had built these structures had long since died out, but when she went exploring it felt like this place had a great affinity for the Force.’

‘Who were they?’ Kylo’s voice was a little further back and the depth was magnified by the acoustics of the stone corridors.

‘She never discovered that.’ Kasha said. ‘She did spend several fortunes in credits though fixing this one up. There’s living quarters for ten people, the kitchen, a full workshop and a training centre for sparring and duelling.’ She stopped at a door and then pointed down the corridor in front of them. ‘My rooms are down that way if you need anything.’ She gestured to the door. ‘Hux, this will be your room.’ She walked a few steps to the next door down. ‘Kylo, this will be yours. This is your home now so you are welcome to do with them as you please and in time make it what you will.’ She then crossed the corridor and opened another door that was equidistant between the two others. Hux approached and peered in, seeing it was a storage room. The shelves were empty. ‘You can use this to keep anything else you decide to accumulate.’ She glanced back at Kylo. ‘You have tonight to settle in and when the others arrive in the morning you can meet them. Good night.’ With that she left them and walked down the passage in the direction of her own quarters.

Hux stared at the door and then reached out and pressed the control panel. The door slid opened and he stepped inside. He was surprised that the room which he found himself in was not some monolithic chamber but a very comfortably appointed suite with a large seating area and a bed against the wall. The walls were of the same black stone but there was a large fireplace in the one facing the bed and he could see just beyond the bed that there was another door. Millicent mewed and he put her down and she trotted off to explore. He walked in, noticing that there were no thick rugs cushioning his footfalls on the stone floor and yet it didn’t feel cold. The bed was dressed in simple dark grey linen and the seating area consisted of a single seat and a low table before it. He chucked his bag on the bed and walked to the other door. It opened to reveal a closet area and another door leading to a very modern refresher just beyond that. Hux was delighted to see that it was fitted with both a shower and a bath. It felt a lot like a high end hotel on one of the core worlds, but he could also see that the room was void of anything resembling personalisation. That in itself made him feel at home immediately. His quarters on the Finalizer had been Spartan to the point of discomfort.

He came back out and unpacked his bag, putting the clothing he’d gotten from the bazaar away in the closet and his wash-kit in the refresher. He did notice the utilitarian toiletries already placed there presumably for his use. The final thing was to extract the datapad Trrva had given him in exchange for fixing her communicators and hang the bag up on a hook in the closet. He came back out, noticing with some amusement that Millicent had already made herself at home and was curled on the bed. Hux smiled at her as he placed the datapad and his communicator on the bedside table and then lifted his head as the door chimed. He walked over and opened it and found Bhutara standing there with two earthenware bowls in her hands. There was also a black glass bottle under her arm. Hux took the bowls from her and she stepped in and looked around.

‘It’s nice.’ she declared. ‘Kasha had these cleaned up a few months ago and I wondered why.’ She nodded at the bowls that were still in Hux’s hands. ‘For Mille.’

‘Thank you.’ he replied. He moved and placed one on the opposite side of the wall leading to the refresher. He took the other and filled with water from the basin and then came back and put it next to its partner. When he straightened up, he found that Bhutara was holding out the bottle.

‘And this is for you.’ she said with a grin.

***********

Kylo packed away his few things and sighed. One room was just like another after so many years of being dragged from one place to another in quick succession, having to live through Jedi training and then moving on to the bleakness of Snoke’s Citadel. At least this one was nicely furnished, unlike some of the places he’d been expected to live. He walked back out of the closet and into the room, then reached out and brushed Hux’s consciousness.

_Come out and play._

_No. Go away Ren._

_Please? Hux. You know you want to._

_Kriff. Why?_

_Because I want to explore._

_So, go do it by yourself._

Kylo grinned and left the room, walking to the door next his. He placed his hand on the surface, feeling for the right tweak of the Force that would allow it to open. It didn’t take long and the door slid open, revealing a room that was almost the twin of his own. He walked in, and found Hux standing at the wall. He was inspecting a control panel and touched it. There was the sound of machinery engaging and the wall separated along the middle and started to retreat, revealing a massive bank of windows that ran floor to ceiling. It looked out over the meadow and lake that ran along the side of the ziggurat, the moonlight glinting off the water..

‘Nice view.’ Kylo said, coming to stand next to him.

‘This place is not what I expected at all.’ Hux said. ‘It’s a far cry from all the smuggler’s haunts I have had the displeasure of raiding.’

‘Smugglers only like to look like they have no credits.’ Kylo said, folding his arms. ‘Or in the case of my father, they have no credits because they are actually not that good a smuggler to begin with.’ Hux looked at him.

‘You’re very bitter about someone that you killed.’ he said. ‘I would think that he’d have the bigger gripe.’

‘You don’t know what he was like.’ Kylo said. Hux thought that he didn’t sound anywhere as sure about that fact that we wanted to, but he said nothing. He watched as Kylo looked around and then spotted the bottle on the low table by the seat.

‘What is that?’

‘Something Bhutara bought me.’ he replied. ‘It’s extremely alcoholic judging by the smell.’

‘Good.’ Kylo replied, then walked over and picked it up. ‘It should come in handy.’

‘Excuse me.’ Hux protested. ‘Just where do you think you’re going with that?’

‘To get drunk and ponder the fact that if I ever run into Snoke again, I’ll probably have my head cut off.’ Kylo said. ‘And you’re coming with me. This time we’ll be starting from the same point.’

‘For kriff’s sake.’ Hux trotted after him. Millicent watched them go through one eye and then promptly went to sleep.

************

The ziggurat was enormous.

They did discover the living area, a library that made Hux’s fingers itch, and the training room. The last was a vast space, easily twice the size of the bridge of the Finalizer, with towering ceilings and the same massive windows as the living areas. It was bare of any furnishings except for a set of wooden chests laid end to end along the wall facing the window and a stack of rolled hessian mats.

Kylo had dragged one over to the windows and rolled it out and they were now sitting cross-legged and passing the bottle back and forth between them. The drink inside was similar to the house special from Kubindi and it didn’t take too long before Hux was feeling extremely warm on the inside as well as a little unsteady, even though he was sitting down.

‘This is honestly the last thing |I could have imagined happening when I decided to drag your arse off that planet.’ he said, gesturing expansively with the bottle.

‘Really?’ Kylo snorted. ‘Just exactly how did you see this happening?’ He took the bottle from Hux and took another drink. Hux noticed that they both seemed to have passed the ‘wiping the neck of the bottle’ stage.

‘I thought I’d hide for a bit until you were fixed up and then we’d disappear.’ he said and this actually made Kylo laugh. Hux couldn’t help thinking that he actually liked Kylie's deep laugh.

‘You should do that more.’ he found himself saying and Kylo raised both eyebrows at him.

‘Why?’ he asked. Hux frowned.

‘Because you’re actually more human when you laugh.’ he replied. ‘You’re like a real person and not just that looming spectre you seem to take such pride in being.’

‘I forgot how to be human a long time ago, Hux.’ Kylo said, and handed the bottle back. ‘Being a Knight meant not being human at all if I could help it.’

‘Well, that’s just ridiculous.’ Hux said. He sighed and leaned back on his hands. ‘Although I am not much better I suppose.’

‘Do you regret it?’ Kylo asked and Hux looked at him.

‘Not in the slightest.’ he replied. ‘It was an act of war and in war all casualties are necessary.’

‘Guess you’re a monster too then.’ Kylo said. ‘We kind of deserve each other.’ He snickered and Hux smiled at the odd noise that came out of him.

‘Well, I think that it certainly could have been worse.’ he said. ‘We could have been caught, taken back. Or the Alliance could have found us.’ He drank. ‘Your mother would no doubt delight in having my head on a spike.’

‘She probably would.’ Kylo said. ‘Mine as well.’

‘I doubt that.’ Hux said. ‘Even if you killed your father, you’re still her child.’ He waved the bottle at Kylo. ‘Please take this away from me.’ Kylo obliged and then upended it, drinking the last of the liquor. Then he placed it on the floor and it floated up into the air. Hux watched it, fascinated.

‘Will I learn to do that?’ he asked and Kylo smiled.

‘Yes.’ he replied. ‘You will.’ Hux felt a slight pressure in his head and the bottle started to turn slowly in mid-air. He kept watching it, not sure why he was so enthralled. It had to be the firewater.

‘When did you learn to do that?’ he asked and felt a movement next to him. When he turned his head he saw that Kylo had slid up next to him. His face was only inches away and the moonlight made his eyes look black.

‘When I was a baby.’ he said. ‘It was how they knew I was Force sensitive. Apparently my parents would wake up and find things floating over my cot.’

‘So you’ve always known how to do it?’ Hux asked, his eyes now drawn to Kylo’s mouth, noticing that it was wide and beautifully shaped.

‘Always.’ Kylo’s voice seemed to dip even lower. ‘Hux.’

‘Mmmm.’ Hux was now completely sure that he’d never seen such a tempting mouth before. He lifted his hand and traced Kylo’s bottom lip. ‘What?’ he looked up and it was just in time for Kylo to lean forward and kiss him. It was soft, another surprising thing, and Hux leaned into it, half because the alcohol was making him ever so slightly dizzy and half because Kylo’s mouth felt wonderful.

‘You’re learning.’ he said when they parted and Kylo smiled again.

‘One of the benefits of being able to read someone’s mind.’ he said. ‘I can feel what you like.’

‘Well, I certainly wouldn’t go by that.’ Hux said. ‘I haven’t kissed anyone besides you in six years. I’ve forgotten what I like.’

‘Could be worse.’ Kylo replied. ‘The last time I kissed someone I was still a Jedi.’ That struck Hux as funny and he snickered.

‘And here you are again.’ he said. ‘Maybe it’s a pattern.’ The alcohol was making him uncharacteristically bold. ‘Want to know what else I like?’

‘I already do.’ Kylo said and then his hand was at the back of Hux’s head, pulling him in. Hux went with it, heat flashing through his chest that had nothing whatsoever to do with the drink. Kylo licked softly at his mouth and he opened it, letting him in. Kylo tasted like the sweet alcohol and something else he couldn’t identify but which made him whine. The grip on his hair tightened and then they toppled over onto the mat.

Kylo was a warm sturdy weight on top of him and Hux suddenly felt like he couldn’t breathe, but in a way that was very pleasing to him. Then Kylo propped himself up on his elbows and moved so he had one leg in between Hux’s and then…oh. He pushed him away and looked down in the general direction of their lower bodies. When he looked back up, Kylo was watching him intently.

‘Is this too much?’ he asked, shifting position and Hux closed his eyes as he felt the very noticeable hardness against his thigh. He steeled himself and nodded.

‘It’s fine.’ he breathed. ‘I just haven’t done this for a long time.’

‘I thought we’d already established that.’ Kylo said and that was enough to make Hux want to wipe the smug look off his face. He threw all caution to the wind and reached up in turn, tangling his fingers in Kylo’s silky hair and tugging him back down. This time he was the aggressor, licking into Kylo’s mouth with a passion that surprised himself. He was met with a growl and Kylo responded, their tongues tangling with no finesse or tenderness, crushing and biting until neither of them could breathe properly. Hux pulled hard on Kylo’s hair and Kylo retaliated by moving to the side, his free hand coming up to rest at the side of Hux’s neck, holding him in position. He stroked along Hux’s jaw with his thumb and Hux wanted to moan, wanted to bite it and draw blood. He felt almost frenzied, like a blast shield melting under an assault from an ion cannon. He arched up against the unrelenting weight of Kylo’s body and that made Kylo break away from him, gasping.

‘I want you.’ he murmured against Hux’s mouth. ‘Let me have you.’ Hux pulled him back in, worrying Kylo’s lower lip between his teeth until he tasted copper. Kylo growled at him and then Hux felt his wrists being caught and stretched out above his head, pinned in one overlarge hand. The other left his neck, trailing down to pull at his shirt until it was free of his pants and pushed up. Kylo spread his fingers, mapping out his chest. ‘You’re so small.’

‘I’m not small.’ Hux retorted. ‘You’re just built like a kriffing wampa.’ He wriggled, stopping when the fingers on his chest brushed his nipple and a bright flare of lust went right through him.

‘I can feel you.’ Kylo had his nose against his cheek, his breath warm and quick. ‘How much you want this.’

‘Get out of my head.’ Hux managed, but then Kylo kissed him again and he melted against him. This time was almost instinctive, both of them seeming to flood into each other. It was like Hux could feel both of them at the same time, a wonderful duality of being.

‘You feel it too.’ Kylo’s voice was now a moan. ‘You feel me inside you.’

And then it was there, in all its demented beauty, like a desecrated landscape stretching away in front of Hux’s mind. It was filled with surging emotions – anger, lust and a dark twisted need for something that had started as approval and spiralled into obsession. It was heady, the pure chaos of it taking his breath away. He pulled back and saw that there was a look on Kylo’s face he’d never expected to see. It was trepidation, fear and Hux knew that it was a fear of rejection. This was the moment he would choose.

He took a deep breath and opened his mind in turn. He felt the first touch, tentative and then Kylo’s mind crashed into his and he was swept away by the passion inside it. Suddenly it was all not enough and Hux wrestled his hands free from the grip that held them. Kylo relinquished his hold, busying himself with sitting up to straddle Hux’s thighs as he yanked his shirt up and off. Hux stared openly at him, the dim light sculpting every muscle in his magnificently defined body. He sat up as far as he could, his hands on Kylo’s belt, undoing it and unbuttoning his pants. Kylo helped as far as he could and then Hux tugged them enough that he could get his hand down the front. His fingers brushed hot smooth skin, the hardness underneath making him dizzy with want. It dragged a choked off moan from Kylo and he fell forward onto his hands, bracing himself above Hux. Hux moved his hand, Kylo’s cock filling his grip and the sheer size of it was both alarming and delightful. He stroked hard and fast and the moans increased in fervour and volume. In his head, the landscape burst into fire, fracturing and spilling lava.

‘Hux.’ It was rough. ‘Yes…’ Kylo was thrusting into his hand and Hux felt powerful beyond measure. Not even standing in front of his Stormtroopers on Starkiller and watching as his design wiped out five systems could compare to having the great Knight of Ren shivering and whining above him merely as a result of having Hux’s hand on him.

‘Yes.’ he breathed. ‘Come for me.’

Kylo cried out once and then slick warmth coated his hand, the fires in his head raging out of control. His whole body shuddered as Hux worked him through it, and then he more or less collapsed to the side, his own hand tugging at Hux’s waistband.

‘Please.’ His face was in Hux’s neck. ‘Let me.’

Hux caught his breath at Kylo’s clumsy attempts to undo his clothes, and his frustration must have transmitted itself because the next minute Kylo’s hand was on him, working his cock through the fabric. It took a shockingly short time, barely four strokes and he came, his vision whiting out until there was nothing but the roar of his own blood in his ears.

He was shaking when he came back into himself, and he fell down onto the floor as he fought to get his breath back. Next to him, Kylo was panting softly. His face was caught in a shaft of moonlight and his features were softened in the wake of orgasm. Hux was transfixed by the striking beauty of his face, letting his fingers drift over the tiny dark marks that dotted his skin.

‘Well, that was unexpected.’ he said and Kylo laughed.

‘You still have your hand down my pants.’ he observed, his voice a little shaky.

‘So I have.’ Hux replied and rolled over to kiss him.

***********

One level up, there came a knock at the door. Kasha looked up from where she was lying on her stomach while Corvis lay behind her with her feet on his stomach, currently rubbing the left one.

‘That’ll be my winnings.’ she said.

‘It’s unusual for her to be off.’ Corvis remarked, bringing one foot up so he could nibble on a toe. Kasha snorted with laughter, both from the ticklish bite and the comment and then extricated herself to get up. She dodged a slumbering D’Jell and went to the door, opening it to find Bhutara standing there with another bottle. She swept in in a swirl of transluscent robes.

‘Using the Force is cheating.’ she said.

‘So is trying to get them under the influence.’ Kasha retorted and took the bottle from her. Their eyes met and they both cackled.

‘Do you think they have any idea what they’re getting themselves into?’ Bhutara said.

‘Not a clue.’ Kasha replied. ‘Night.’

‘Good night.’ Bhutara said and the door closed behind her.

***********

Morning came with the strangest wake-up call Hux had ever had.

_Hux. Wake up. You have a busy day._

It was a mental kick to the face and Hux jerked awake. The inside of his mouth was furry and he noticed that he’d simply passed out on the bed without even bothering to take his clothes off. Then he remembered the evening’s activities and made a face at the state of himself.

_I think I may be dying._

_You’re not dying, you’re simply hungover._ Kasha’s tone meant business. _Now get yourself up and dressed and come to the training room. I’m sure you know where it is._

That last statement was rich with underlying meaning and Hux sighed. He rolled onto his side and saw Millicent watching him from her place on the pillow.

‘It’s all his fault.’ he said to her. ‘Although, I seem to be easily influenced.’ He stretched and yawned and finally made it to his feet.

The shower was hot and it managed to clear most of the cobwebs from his head and once Hux had cleaned his teeth he started to feel vaguely humanoid. He got out and dried off, then dressed in the loosest shirt and trousers he had. He left the room, not bothering to call in on Kylo, and padded along the stone corridors barefoot until he got to the training room. It was still dark outside, but Hux was not particularly bothered by the early hour. He saw that there were hessian exercise mats already laid down on the floor. Kasha was dressed in a pair of soft grey pants and her black binder, her hair in a braid down her back. She was also barefoot and sitting cross legged, waiting for him. Kylo was nowhere to be seen. She gave him a questioning look.

‘He has no sense of punctuality or time if you’re wondering where he is.’ Hux said by way of explanation as he came towards her. ‘He was a nightmare on the Finalizer. We were once held up for three weeks while he was running around doing whatever he and his band of freakish individuals was doing.’

‘That doesn’t really surprise me.’ Kasha smiled. ‘He dislikes being subject to restrictions. It’s one of the reasons the Dark side holds such an attraction for him. Freedom to be your own master can be very seductive.’ She gave Hux a penetrating look as he sat down. ‘You on the other hand, you’re subject to a very different master.’

‘Punctuality is the simplest sign of civilised behaviour.’ Hux said, frowning and the folding himself awkwardly down onto the floor like he had done the previous day. ‘I am not used to this lack of routine.’

‘You don’t have to suffer for long.’ Kasha said. ‘If you wish, set up your own schedule. And there will be routine in abundance while you’re being trained. Eldrine is a strict task master.’

‘Why won’t you be training me?’ Hux asked.

‘Because she is far more suited to you than I am.’ Kasha said. ‘It’s not a slight on you, I assure you. It’s simply that I don’t think I could get the best out of you. She’s extremely disciplined and Sudaka and I both think that you will respond far better to that approach.’ The sound of footsteps made them both turn their heads and Hux had to bite his cheek surreptitiously as he saw that Kylo was wearing the black pants from before, although at least this time he was wearing a shirt. His thick dark hair was a mess and he looked positively grumpy.

‘Nice of you to join us.’ Hux couldn’t resist the jibe. Kylo tossed his hair out of his eyes and flopped down next to him, hazel eyes flashing defiantly. Hux was a little disturbed by how arresting they were. ‘Just because you’re incapable of following a proper schedule.’ Kylo snorted.

‘I don’t answer to you, General.’ he said airily.

‘No, but you will answer to me.’ Kasha said with a grin. ‘And from now on your days are going to be filled with training. Meditation, combat and seeing just how many Force powers you’re capable of. And until Eldrine gets here, Hux will be part of that too.’ She looked at Hux. ‘It will be very interesting to see what you’ll be able to do.’ Hux looked at Kylo who now had his elbow on his knee and his chin in his hand. A dark strand of hair fell in his eyes and he blew it away.

‘This is pointless.’ he said. ‘We should train separately. I already know everything you have to teach him.’ He sounded so cocky that Hux glared at him. Then he noticed that Kasha was wearing her sharp smile.

‘Really?’ she said and lifted her hand. Kylo was caught off guard and before he knew it he was tumbling over backwards as she unleased a wall of power strong enough to tumble him like an errant leaf caught in a gust of wind.

‘That is not funny!’ he snapped as he made it onto all fours and Kasha snickered and did it again. Hux couldn’t help it. Seeing the mighty Kylo Ren being effectively pummelled by an unseen power and looking so ridiculous was too good and he started laughing. In hindsight he should have known that it was dangerous. Making fun of Kylo was the equivalent of poking a Rancor with a shockstick.

Kylo rolled with the next surge of power and made it to his feet, balancing on one hand and lashing out with the other. The shock wave he unleashed was almost overwhelming and Hux flinched away as it came towards them. But before he knew what was happening, Kasha was on her feet. She had both hands outstretched and it was like water hitting a sheer rock wall. The power washed over her and Hux and then it was like she sucked it in. Kylo had straightened up and the confusion on his face told Hux that this was more than likely the first time that he’d experienced someone that could counter what he’d just done.

Kasha shifted position, dropping one hand and making a simple gesture with the other. Her blow felt almost double that of Kylo’s and it lifted him off the mat as if he weighed nothing, holding him suspended in the air. Kylo struggled against the invisible grip and Hux could feel anger and aggression coming off of him in waves.

‘Release me!’ he shouted and Kasha shook her head.

‘Your arrogance is always going to be your downfall unless you start to appreciate that there are others who can fight back.’ she replied. ‘A healthy dose of fear does wonders for your self-preservation.’

Hux watched, utterly fascinated by what he was seeing. The power coming from Kylo was like a tempest, swirling and churning around him and Kasha, but she simply absorbed it and redirected it.

‘How are you doing that?’ he asked. ‘And can you teach me?’

‘I can.’ Kasha said. ‘It’s a simple enough trick. The principle of the Force is that its energy cannot be destroyed or created. It simply is. And when you understand that, you will understand that it can be transferred from one form to another. All Kylo’s anger is fuelling the power that I am using, but at the same time I have it under control because I do not give into my aggression.’ She beckoned to Hux. ‘Come on. Lesson one.’ Hux got up and walked to her. ‘Put your hand out and focus on the Force that is moving around him.’ Hux did as she asked and it felt like he was getting close to a power generator.

‘Do you see?’ Kasha said. ‘The more he resists, the stronger the hold and the easier it is to restrain him.’ She nodded at Kylo, who was incandescent with rage. ‘Hold him.’

‘What?’ Hux was shocked at the proposal. ‘There’s no way I can do that. He’s far more powerful.’

‘Use your strengths.’ Kasha said. ‘You have control where he lacks it. You have managed to build barriers to protect yourself from him and any other Force user. That will keep you safe.’ She nodded at him. ‘Open your mind and control it. Take in only as much as you can handle.’

HuX took a deep breath and focused. The energy was white hot and almost unmanageable. He pushed at it experimentally, but it was unyielding.

‘I can’t.’ he said.

‘Yes, you can.’ Kasha replied. ‘Focus.’

Hux closed his eyes and did as she said, careful to open only the tiniest chink in his wall. It was enough though and he could feel the tiniest glimmer of something underneath the chaos. He latched onto it, tugging at the silvery thread of order and restraint, feeling it tighten around him enough for him to tug on it and draw it tight.

‘Very good, Hux.’ Kasha said. ‘Control it. Make it bend to your will.’

Hux gave it one hard tug, emboldened by her words, and then it was like a spool unravelling. All the darkness seemed to disperse and he could feel himself reeling in the energy until it sat in the palm of his hand. He opened his eyes and stared at the result.

Kylo was still, his hazel eyes wide in shock as he floated above the ground.

‘How?’ he asked and Kasha smiled.

‘Remarkable.’ she said. ‘Now let him go.’

Hux wasn’t quite sure how to go about that so he simply let go of the thread in his mind and Kylo tumbled out the air and landed in a heap on the mat. He threw Hux a filthy look as he sat up, rubbing his bruises and glowering at them both.

‘I hate you.’ he hissed and Hux laughed.

‘I did it.’ he said, more surprised than anyone else could have been.

‘Are you finished?’ he asked, his tone positively venomous, and Hux gave him his most imperious look.

‘I rather think I am just getting started.’ he said with a toothy grin. He turned to Kasha. ‘Just how many of these Jedi powers are there?’

‘Well the basic powers every Jedi is expected to master are sense and movement.’ she replied. ‘Sense is the ability to feel others through the Force and movement is what you just did, to manipulate the movement of objects through the Force. Then there is telepathic communication. We all use it in our order because Sudaka does not speak directly. Apart from that, we all have our own special skill sets.’

‘What can you do?’ Hux asked as Kylo walked over to them, still looking like he wanted to kill something. Kasha smiled and held out her hand, palm up. Hux felt a surge and a bright blue flame lit up just above her palm.

‘It’s Force flame.’ she said. ‘I have an affinity for heat. It’s why I can generate lightning.’ Kylo seemed to be caught between curiosity and annoyance, but eventually the curiosity won out. He stretched out his hand towards it.

‘It doesn’t feel hot.’ he said.

‘It burns, believe me.’ Kasha closed her hand and the flame disappeared. ‘I have also mastered the more advanced combat techniques, as no doubt you have.’ She said this to Kylo and he nodded. Then she turned to Hux. ‘And I am able to use stealth, to mask myself in the Force and from others. You have this ability Hux. It’s what allowed you to build your wall. There will be others in there as well, we just need to unlock them. But for that we need to start at the beginning.’

They watched her walk to the wall and dig through one of the wooden chests that lined it. She came back with three wooden spheres about the size of a fist. Kylo snorted.

‘This is stupid.’ he said. ‘I could do this before I was eight.’

‘That’s because you had someone to train you.’ Kasha replied. ‘Now sit your arse down.’

Kylo huffed but he did as she said and Hux followed suit. Kasha moved so they formed a triangle and placed the balls in front of her.

‘It’s like any other skill.’ she said to Hux. ‘You have to practise to keep it sharp. This allows you to develop fine control and the ability to build it up. Do you remember what it felt like earlier?’

‘Like a thread running through my fingers.’ Hux replied. ‘The more I tighten my grip the more control I have.’

‘Yes, that’s a good analogy.’ she said. ‘We’re going to do a very simple exercise. First I will lift the spheres and then pass one to you. After that we pass them to each other and then we each take turns lifting and passing until you’re comfortable with it.’ She looked at the spheres and Hux felt a small burst of energy. They lifted off the mat and floated into the air.

‘Child’s play.’ Kylo said and one of the sphere’s floated across to him.

‘Everyone has to start somewhere and it’s important not to run before you can walk.’ Kasha said.

‘Now you sound like my uncle.’ Kylo said. He made the sphere turn lazily in the air and looked at Hux. ‘Go on then. The sooner we’re done with this, the sooner we get to the more interesting things.’

Hux glared at him and Kylo gave him a crooked smile that managed to be outrageously arrogant and ridiculously attractive all at the same time.

_Stop that._

_You didn’t say that last night._

_YOU took advantage of the situation._

_Oh yes, my mistake. Must have been someone else’s hand down my pants then._

_Shut up._

_Make me._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yes, I am a fan of the 'Kylo Ren is hung like a tauntaun' fan club...


	19. Reconditioning

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Training begins.

The afternoon took a turn for the distinctly odd.

Hux was sitting watching as two of the strangest women he’d ever seen faced off against each other. Their brilliant blue lightsabers lit up the dull light of the training room and they grinned as they executed a very formal looking salute.

‘That’s not really necessary.’ Kylo had leaned in close to murmur into his ear. ‘It’s just a formality.’

‘Yes, thank you Ren.’ he hissed back. ‘Obviously standing around exchanging pleasantries seems a sound combat strategy.’

This got a chuckle from the two combatants in question. They had arrived in the middle of the day and been introduced as Lendry and Jokhan. Hux had encountered Devaronians before but he’d never even heard of a Nelvaanian and he’d looked at her closely, utterly fascinated.

‘He has a point.’ Lendry said, her sharp teeth glinting in the dull light. She twirled her lightsabre effortlessly.

‘Then attack.’ Jokhan growled and twirled her own sabre in answer. Lendry laughed and struck, faster than Hux could visually track. He’d never actually seen Kylo wield his weapon other than to use it to chop away at the Finalizer’s infrastructure and the sudden balletic blur in front of him was dazzling. He could feel that Kylo was similarly impressed, although he was managing to keep his expression carefully neutral.

‘Now watch them closely.’ Kasha said. ‘Lendry and Jokhan are extremely adept at reading each other. This means that neither one will get the upper hand for a while so you’ll have the opportunity to simply observe.’

‘It’s so hard to see where one starts and the other ends.’ Hux said. He was trying with all his might to track the strikes and parries, but it all flowed so perfectly that it was more like dance than combat. The sabres clashed, their distinctive sound filling the air.

‘They use Ataru.’ Kylo said, his face intense as he watched.

‘They are both athletic fighters.’ Kasha replied. ‘And when they fight together, they are formidable. One of the weaknesses of Ataru is that the user will tire far quicker than an opponent using a different form. Lendry and Johan overcome this by fighting as one unit.’

‘How?’ Hux said, still hypnotised by the incredibly swift movements. Both women were utilising the whole space, spinning and jumping in an attempt to gain an advantage.

‘They are Force Bonded, a mated pair.’ Kasha said and Kylo turned to look at her.

‘You allow this?’ he asked. ‘I know you are married, but this is something else altogether. It is usually reserved for Jedi and Paduwan only.’

‘Of course.’ Kasha said. ‘It’s a natural progression from a romantic relationship. If Corvis was a little more capable of using the Force we would be the same. As it stands he has only the barest amount of Force sensitivity so while he can be sensitive to my powers he has none of his own.’ She looked over at Hux and smiled at how entranced he was by the whole display. ‘What do you think?’

‘I never thought it would look like that.’ he said. ‘I doubt I could do anything as athletic.’

‘Which is why you will begin with the First Form and then move on to the Second.’ Kasha said. ‘Makashi is very stylised and having done fencing will put you in a good position to learn it quickly. You will have to modify it once you’re adept, but that will come with you learning how and when to guard your weak spots.’

Lendry and Jokhan came to a stop, bowing to each other as they extinguished their sabres. They were both panting with exertion. They came over, smiling at each other, and then flopped down on the mats.

‘Your turn.’ Jokhan growled and it took a moment for Kylo to realise she was talking to him.

‘Me?’ He looked at Hux. ‘No.’

‘We need to see what you’re capable of.’ Kasha said and got up. ‘Come on.’

‘I don’t have a lightsabre.’ Kylo protested. ‘Mine was left behind.’ He glared at Hux as he said this.

‘No matter.’ Kasha lifted her hand and her own lightsabre shot from where it had been resting on a bunch of clothing to her hand. ‘You have your old one.’

‘How did you…’ Kylo trailed off, the shock on his face tickling Hux in the extreme. He looked back at the pile of clothing on the chest and then his face darkened. ‘Where did you get it from?’

‘It was in your trunk.’ Kasha grinned. ‘You really need to get a better lock for that thing. It took Corvis under a minute to break into it.’ She nodded at the chest. ‘Take it.’

Kylo narrowed his eyes at her, then stood up. He pulled himself up to his full height and extended his hand. Hux felt a pull through the Force and then another lightsabre that had been concealed in the clothing shot across and into his waiting hand. Kylo stared at it, a horrible feeling welling up inside him of the last time he’d used it. His first instinct was to throw it as far from himself as he could and he regretted never destroying it.

Screams and death. It felt too much like Ben, weak and scared and pathetically grateful for the protection of the other one, the one so much stronger than himself. Something black licked at the corners of his mind and Kylo felt sick to his stomach as the old feeling of not being alone in his head returned.

‘This is a bad idea…’ he started to say but then Kasha ignited her sabre and swung it in a blisteringly fast attack and before he knew it, Kylo had ignited his own sabre and brought it up in a defensive block, the gold and the blue blades meeting in a shower of sparks.

‘Good.’ Kasha said, backing off. ‘Your instincts are still intact.’ She moved slowly, circling him. Kylo bought his sabre up, mimicking her stance as he circled in turn.

‘Of course they are.’ he said. ‘I used my sabre for combat frequently.’

‘But not against others who wield the same weapon.’ Kasha said. ‘That’s why you were beaten. You’re out of training and slow. And that monstrosity you constructed hindered you from reaching your true potential. You could be magnificent, but you allowed Snoke to take that from you and force you into being his blunt tool.’

Hux could feel that Kylo was getting increasingly riled up, and that was when Kasha struck again, twirling elegantly and igniting her sabre on the down-stroke, forcing Kylo to defend himself again. But this time she did not retreat and what followed was almost frightening in its intensity. Kasha’s style was brutal, a continuous onslaught of attack that had Kylo shuffling around on the defensive and Hux was sure that it was only his greater physical strength keeping her from injuring him.

 _Fight back._ He projected the words before he could stop himself.

 _I can’t._ There was frustration and anger and, hidden far below, a deep sense of inadequacy. That astonished Hux, the last thing he’d ever expected to feel from the man who’d held his entire ship in terror for almost a decade.

‘You don’t remember how to do this.’ Kasha’s voice was harsh. ‘You have not been your own man for so long that you don’t know how to fight when someone isn’t holding the reins. You’ve lost what made you powerful and now I could kill you at a whim.’

Kylo’s face was contorted with a mixture of rage and uncertainty. And underneath it all, Hux could hear a faint whisper.

_Not good enough. Never good enough._

It was illuminating.

Kasha’s movements were unlike those of Lendry and Jokhan. She had no effortless flow, no pattern that could be discerned. It was stilted in places and completely unpredictable and so fast that it seemed impossible to defend against. Hux knew that if it had been himself facing her he would have stood no chance and was very impressed that Kylo was holding his ground. There was another shower of sparks and Kylo fell back from her. He was breathing hard. Kasha watched him, her eyes wary.

‘What is it?’ she asked. ‘You’re distracted.’

‘I am not.’ Kylo said, the anger he was feeling making his voice shake. ‘It’s this.’ He brandished the lightsabre. ‘If I had my one…’

Kasha didn’t let him finish. Instead she attacked again and they continued the series of blows and counter strikes. The sheer physical power they were both using was staggering, but he noticed that Kylo was becoming sluggish on his feet. Then Kasha executed a quick slash down and Kylo roared as the blade almost caught him on the arm. There was the stench of burned hair and Hux stared as Kylo’s entire face changed. Then he charged.

Kasha fought off the first attack and then she came back at him. Now they were fighting in earnest and Hux felt the first twinges of fear.

‘Shouldn’t we stop them?’ he said to Lendry, noticing that the Devaronian was sitting open mouthed.

‘No.’ Jokhan replied, her fangs glinting as she smiled. ‘It’s just starting to get interesting.’

‘But they could hurt each other.’ Hux protested.

‘That was just a scratch.’ Jokhan said. ‘He’s now fighting properly.’

Hux looked back at them and saw that they were both now sweating profusely, grunting with effort. Kylo’s blows were heavier and Kasha was faster so they never seemed to get one over on each other.

‘Let it out!’ she snapped at him and Kylo yelled, wordless and enraged and then he swung, missed and fell to one knee as he lost his balance. Hux was halfway to his feet as kasha stepped in and swung her own blade, stopping with it barely and inch from Kylo’s exposed throat. Hux knew he could feel the strange not-quite-heat that it exuded.

Kasha stepped back and lowered her sabre. Kylo closed his eyes, and the turmoil inside him showed plainly on his face. Hux could hear the chant inside his head change.

_Humiliation. Stupid. Weak._

He wanted to get up, to go to him and reassure him that was not the case but before he could move, Kylo was on his feet. He extinguished the lightsabre and hurled it to the floor then stormed off. Hux felt a hand on his arm and turned. Lendry shook her head at him.

‘He needs to cool off.’ she said. ‘This is a battle you cannot help him fight.’

Hux watched Kylo disappear through the door to the training room just as Sudaka was coming through it. The Master watched him go and then came up to them.

_What was all that about?_

‘Reconditioning.’ Kasha panted. ‘Break him down and build him up.’ She looked at Sudaka. ‘Just like you did with me.’ Sudaka nodded. ‘Why are you here anyway?’

 _I felt something_. Sudaka looked grave. _Something out of place. Something trying to get in._

It was enough to make Kasha go pale.

‘Snoke?’ she asked and Sudaka shrugged.

_I think that is the most likely source._

‘Can we protect him?’ Kasha asked. ‘I was able to get rid of him initially and keep him out long enough for Kylo’s head to clear a little. It’s why he’s here.’

 _It has been some days though_. Sudaka thought. _He has now had a chance to track him down and start trying to counteract your measures._

‘I just hope he will be strong enough to figt him off.’ Kasha said. ‘Otherwise we’ll have to start again.’

***********

Kylo half ran down the maze of passages, his heart pounding. He hadn’t felt like this since his early days when he’d come to realise what was happening to him. the black tendrils in his head were growing thicker and he shook his head t try and shake them loose.

_No. I don’t want this anymore._

_You cannot escape. You will never be able to escape from me. You owe me everything. Your life, your powers. These pathetic people that call themselves Jedi cannot help you or protect you. You are my creature, Kylo Ren. You always will be._

‘NO!’ Kylo bellowed and punched the wall nearest to him several times in quick succession, drawing blood until it ran freely down his hand and screaming out his anger. The pain flared through his hand and wrist, allowing him to focus enough to make a colossal effort, shutting the voice out of his head until there was nothing but blissful silence. He straightened up and then he saw Bhutara standing a few feet from him. Her face was perfectly neutral and Kylo could feel nothing but calm radiating from her.

‘Come.’ she said and turned. Kylo hesitated and she turned back to him, gesturing to his hand. ‘I need to take a look at that.’ Kylo stared down at his hand, flexing it gingerly. It wasn’t broken but he could feel he’d bruised it badly. The blood was dripping from his torn knuckles in s steady stream onto the stone floor. He followed her, and she led him to the kitchen.

‘Sit down.’ she instructed. Kylo went to the table and sat down. He was numb now, the pain cleaning out his thoughts and feelings. Bhutara came back from the storage room with a med kit and sat down opposite him. She held out her hand and Kylo got a feeling of déjà vu that made him feel like he’d been punched in the gut.

_‘What were you doing, Ben?’ His mother’s hands were soft as she cleaned the blood and dirt away._

_‘I fell out the tree.’_

_‘Silly boy.’ She finished cleaning them and then smoothed the bacta over the grazes and small cuts before covering them with the clear layer of artificial skin, kissing his hand lightly. ‘All better, now.’_

‘You’re remembering.’ Bhutara took the cloth she’d wet with hot water and pressed it to his hand, gently wiping the blood away. ‘She loved you very much.’

‘It wasn’t enough.’ Kylo couldn’t look at her. ‘She didn’t protect me. She was my mother. She was supposed to protect me.’

‘Sometimes there are thing beyond our control and as much as we’d like to change them we cannot.’ Bhutara said. ‘My mother was killed when the Hutts came to take me from her. She fought to the end to stop it from happening. I remember her blood on the floor of our home, watching them walk through it.’ She looked up at him. ‘But even her death didn’t protect me from what happened.’ She laid the cloth aside and took a bacta pack from the kit, broke the seal and dribbled it over the cuts on his knuckles. Kylo hissed at the sting, but almost immediately felt the pain subside.

‘At least she did everything she could.’ he replied, but it felt hollow.

‘My point is that even doing everything she could didn’t stop it from happening.’ Bhutara said. ‘Your mother knowing about Stoke would have had no impact at all.’ She applied the artificial skin briskly and it stuck to his hand, forming a clear protective layer. ‘Would you like me to kiss it better?’

‘Kasha said you are not a Jedi.’ Kylo said, almost accusing. Bhutara smiled.

‘Being a Jedi and being Force sensitive are not always one and the same.’ she said. ‘And your feelings are always very easy to read.’

‘I shall bear that in mind.’ Kylo replied, examining his hand. ‘Thank you.’

‘You are very welcome.’ Bhutara said. She got up, taking the med kit with her. ‘I suggest a walk. There’s a path down to the lake that’s particularly lovely. Go get some air and enjoy the sun for a bit.’

‘Are you being serious?’ Kylo asked and he heard her chuckle inside the storeroom. She came back out and then chucked something at him. He caught it and stared at the foil tube in his hand. The label proclaimed it to be medical grade lubricant.

‘What the hell is this for?’ he asked but she didn’t answer him, floating past and walking out the room while he sat there and wondered just what she meant by the gesture. Then his brain caught up and he went scarlet.

‘Kriffing hell.’ he muttered and shoved the tube in his pocket. Perhaps a long walk was a good idea.

**********

‘It feels odd.’ Hux hefted the training sabre he’d been given to use. Kasha had retrieved it from another of the chests.

‘It’s because it’s not weighted for you.’ Lendry said. ‘Once you contsruct your own, then it will be exactly to your requirements.’

Hux pressed the ignition button and the sabre flared into life. It had a light blue blade and it shifted in his hand like a living thing. He could feel the resistance created by the blade as the beam of light flowed back in on itself into the hilt. Kasha had started this session with a brief explanation as to the construction of the weapon and he now had a much better idea of what he was dealing with. He moved it experimentally and found himself having to constantly compensate and adjust his grip.

‘It’s challenging.’ he said and the others smiled at each other.

‘What did you use for fencing?’ Kasha asked.

‘A standard foil when I was learning.’ Hux replied. ‘And then I changed to a sabre when I became proficient. But this is unlike anything I have ever used.’

 _Much of it is intuitive._ Sudaka was watching him closely. _You must feel the Force flowing through you as you use it and make the lightsabre an extension of yourself. This will mark you as a Jedi more than anything else._

‘There are many types of hilt designs and configurations.’ Kasha said. ‘When you are ready to construct one, then you will choose that which is most suited to you and built it using that.’ She nodded at the pouch around his neck. ‘Your crystal will be the key component inside the housing. It will vibrate through the Force and produce the blade.’

 _Now we shall begin with the First form._ Sudaka moved to stand next to Hux. They were wearing an unusual garment, with a split skirt of heavy black fabric over an unbleached jacket wrapped and fastened at their waist with a wide sash of brilliant green. They reached out and made some minute adjustment to the way he was holding the hilt and then stepped back, unhooking their own lightsabre and igniting it. The blade was a blinding white and Sudaka brought it up into a formalised salute. Hux copied the movements, his body a little unused to doing this but still retaining the muscle memory from his training.

They went through the basic forms and it got easier and easier. Hux could feel himself starting to sweat a little. The resistance from the training sabre was making his arms and wrists ache ever so slightly as they went back to the beginning. The others were opposite him and Sudaka, Lendry and Jokhan demonstrating the forms. Hux felt a little like he was back in the Academy, the repetitive movements soothing him and making his mind calm once more. Kylo’s outburst had rattled him. Hux concentrated and the energy inside him seemed to ripple and flow. It was an extraordinary feeling and one he found he enjoyed. They came to the end of the forms and Hux returned to his resting position.

‘Again.’ Kasha said on his other side. ‘Feel the Force and work with it, not against it.’

Hux blew his hair out of his eyes and started again.

**********

Kylo found that getting down from the ziggurat took a great deal more effort than he’d anticipated but he was bound and determined to do it. He looked back up at the structure behind him. Mosh and Corvis had been working on the shield generator again and had shouted a greeting at him from the top of the Kyari and he’d waved at them and continued on. Lendry and Jokhan’s ship, a Light Corvette, was now docked on the other side of the tower.

He was about halfway through the meadow en-route to the lake when he stopped and pondered what he was doing, swiftly coming to the conclusion that he was clearly going mad. The last time he’d run around on the ground like this, he’d been chasing the trooper and the girl.

The meadow was flat and wide and covered in thigh high grasses and flowers, shades of red, yellow, white and purple making it into a riot of colour. Kylo ran a hand through it as he walked, the tickling on his palm making the scene less surreal. He could smell nothing but clean air and vegetation and as he approached the lake, a light breeze stirred his hair.

It was as far from Snoke as he could possibly be, and he could already feel his anger at himself and what had happened slipping away from him. When he finally got to the lake, he could see how it stretched all the way to the foot of the mountains, the jagged bare peaks of stern making a semi-circular wall around the body of water.

There was a flat rock right by the shore and something about it called to him. Kylo walked over and climbed up onto it. There was a depression there that seemed to be made for sitting and he lowered himself down, crossing his legs and looking out over the water. He reached up for his pouch and then took it off, opening it and tipping the crystal onto his palm. The light reflected through it and Kylo held it up to the setting sun, watching as the purple shifted and changed and noticing for the first time that there were tiny black filaments running through it.

Darkness. Just like there was inside him. He remembered the voice and shivered.

_You are my creature._

‘No.’ he whispered. ‘I am no-one’s creature.’ He tightened his hand around the crystal, feeling the sharp edges dig into his palm and then closed his eyes.

***********

They practised long into the evening, until shadows filled the training room and they had to turn the illuminations on.

Hux was exhausted, his whole body dripping sweat and his mind equally fatigued. The others seemed very pleased though and Sudaka even smiled at him when they departed. Kasha put her hand on his shoulder, taking the training sabre back from him.

‘You did very well today.’ she said. ‘We’ll make a Jedi of you yet.’ She moved away from and replaced the things they had been using in the chest.

‘What did you mean earlier?’ Hux asked, taking the hilt. ‘About reconditioning?’

‘One of the things Kylo is lacking is interaction with others like himself.’ Kasha explained. ‘Snoke isolated him from all other Force users on purpose. That way he could keep control of Kylo and feed off his energy. It’s why he’s this awful mix of fear and insecurity.’

‘You felt that?’ Hux asked and she looked at him.

‘I did.’ she replied. ‘You?’ Hux nodded.

‘I never expected him to feel like that.’ he said. ‘He’s always seemed so arrogant, so convinced of his own power.’

‘Lies fed to him by Snoke and at the same time, a very subtle erosion of Kylo’s confidence.’ Kasha said. ‘How else do you control such a weapon.’

They walked out the training room, Sudaka and the others long departed. Hux rolled his shoulders.

‘I could do with a shower.’ He said and Kasha looked at him.

‘A bath might be a better option.’ she replied. ‘Your muscles won’t be quite used to this and you’ll be sore tomorrow. I’ll ask Bhutara if she has anything you can use. I’ll ask her bring it along with dinner.’

‘That’s not entirely necessary.’ Hux said. ‘I am quite capable of fetching it myself.’

‘All right.’ Kasha said as they got to the junction that led in two directions, one passage to the living areas and kitchen and the other to the sleeping quarters. ‘I am going to take my own advice.’ She wrinkled her nose. ‘We smell like a pair of Bantha.’ She left him and disappeared down the passage. Hux went in the opposite direction, the nagging worry for Ren now coming to the fonr of his mind. He had not come back and Hux wondered just what he’d been up to. He’d been to focused on the lightsabre training to actually try to reach out to him, but now he stopped for a moment and took a deep breath.

Kasha had said it was like opening a door. Hux concentrated and let the words flow out of him.

_Ren?_

There was no reply, not even the feeling like he was in the immediate vicinity. Hux felt a flicker of alarm. It was worrying how quickly he’d gotten used to feeling Kylo at the edge of his consciousness. He tried again.

_Ren. Where are you?_

Still nothing.

Hux stomped to the kitchen, hoping to find him, but the only people there were Corvis, Mosh and Bhutara. Mosh and Corvis were cooking, jostling each other and laughing. It died away when they saw him though.

‘Hux?’ Corvis was now frowning. ‘What’s wrong?’

‘Have you seen Ren?’ he asked, aware that he sounded a touch panicked and hating himself for it.

‘He went for a walk.’ Bhutara said. ‘I suggested a change of scenery would clear his mind.’ She smiled at Hux. ‘Don’t worry. I am sure he is all right.’

‘I can’t feel him.’ Hux blurted and she raised her eyebrows.

‘He’s probably meditating.’ she said. ‘Come sit down and eat.’

‘No.’ Hux backed away. ‘I am hardly in a fit state for dinner.’

‘It’s fine.’ Corvis said, waving a hand at his grease stained shirt. ‘We came straight in from working on the Kyari.’

‘I think I’ll just take something with me, if that’s all right.’ Hux said and Corvis nodded.

‘Help yourself.’ he said, grinning. ‘Just don’t judge us too harshly.’ He handed Hux a plate of food. Hux took it and then got a bottle of water from the cooling unit. They waved him off and Hux left the kitchen. The walk back to his quarters was tiring and when he arrived he found that all he really wanted to do was bath and go to bed.

Inside he found Millicent in contemplation of the night sky. Hux put his food and the water down on the table and went to turn on the fire. It was an odd bit of antiquated technology, fuelled by the natural gas that had once been the fuel source for whoever had built this place.

‘Lights 50 percent.’ he said and a soft glow came up. Millicent had jumped off the window sill and was now on the low table, inspecting his food. Hux smiled and came to sit next to her, stroking her back and offering her some tidbits which she gracefully accepted. The evening meal was simple, cured meats and some sort of cheese and vegetables that he didn’t quite recognise. It was all good, and the freshness was a continued delight after the continued assault on the senses that was space catering. Hux ate, washing it down with the water. When he was done he got up and stretched and then headed for the refresher.

He switched the shower on and undressed, stepping under the hot water. It soothed his muscles and Hux felt himself starting to drift. He got out and dried off and tugged on a clean shirt and pants before going back into the room. His bed was still unmade from his hasty exit in the morning and Hux sighed, remembering that here he had no hospitality droid to do it for him. He made a mental note to look into getting one and then climbed into his bed.

He was asleep almost before his head hit the pillow.

**********

The sound of a ship finally broke Kylo out of his mediation. He was astonished to find that it was now completely dark, the twin moons high above him. He looked back over the dark expanse behind him and saw the lights from the ziggurat twinkling in the distance. The sound of engines got louder and Kylo looked up to see lights as the ship came down through the atmosphere. He watched as it came in low and then flew in the direction of the ziggurat. He got up and his body complained from the long period of inactivity. He stretched and shivered as the breeze blew over him, now considerably chillier than it had been earlier.

He got up and then he realised that his mind was perfectly composed and that disturbed him a little. He had been in deep meditation before and it had always felt like he had lost a few hours. When he was still Ben that had been a hallmark of his interactions with Snoke. He would wake up from a night’s sleep exhausted and irritated and feeling like he’d lost time. Later it had come to feel like this, like a thick blanket had been laid over his emotions.

Kylo felt the old fear trickle in. he suddenly felt like he was far too exposed out here in the open and the ziggurat was so very far away. He started walking towards the lights, the panic inside him rising and making him feel like he was choking. It was barely a few moments later that he put his head down and started to run. He ran until his thighs ached and his heart felt like it was going to beat right out of his chest. And the whole time it felt like the lights stayed the same distance away. Kylo increased his pace but they started to fade in and out, like a mirage flickering on the horizon. Frantic he reached out with his mind.

_HUX!!!_

The answer came almost immediately.

_Ren? What the kriff? Where have you been?_

The worry and irritation in Hux’s voice brought Kylo crashing right back down. He stopped, chest heaving and leaned over, hands on his knees as he tried to draw breath.

‘Hux.’ It was a whispered exhale.

 _I’m here._ There was something else now, a feeling of security that Kylo found himself clinging to desperately and he knew without a doubt that he needed to get to Hux. _I’m right here, Ren._

 _Don’t stop. Keep talking to me._ Kylo stood up and took a few deep breaths. Hux’s voice in all its familiarity seemed to be doing the trick. He looked at the ziggurat and saw with some surprise that it was a lot cloer than he’d thought. He started walking towards it, each step closer making him feel more at ease, the panic in his chest starting to wane.

_What about?_

_Anything just keep talking._

_I learned how to complete the Sho Chii training form. Now I feel like I’ve been sat on by a bantha._

_Not laughing at the prancing around you thought I did anymore, are you?_ Kylo wanted to cry in relief at the sniffy tone of Hux’s voice. He held onto it tightly, letting it guide him in.

_I never used the word pranced._

_I am almost positive you did_. He was almost there, just a few more steps.

_Oh, bugger off._

**********

Hux sat up in bed, the sheet puddled around his waist, straining his ears in the darkness for any sound at all. He was still groggy from being woken so suddenly but when his door chimed he didn’t hesitate.

‘Come.’ he called and the door slid open. Kylo walked in, the darkened room showing only his silhouette. He moved like an old man, barely managing to keep himself upright, and slumped onto the end of Hux’s bed when he got to it. Hux stared at his shoulders, outlined by the fire that was burning low. Even from here and in the dark, he could see the defeat in them, the tension.

‘Ren?’ he asked. ‘Are you all right?’

‘No.’ Kylo’s voice sounded exhausted. ‘No, I’m not.’ He put his head in his hands and the dread Hux felt at how defeated he looked and sounded made his stomach churn. He threw off the sheet and shuffled forward on his knees until he was almost at Kylo’s back. He sat there, feeling the waves of emotion coming off him and then raised one hand tentatively. Kylo stiffened as it neared, and Hux steeled himself. He placed it on Kylo’s shoulder, feeling how the muscles underneath were like iron.

‘What can I do?’ he asked, helplessness making him gruff.

Kylo looked up at him and the firelight caught his eyes, making them burn gold. Hux looked back, suddenly aware of how his heart was starting to beat faster. He could get lost in those eyes, so deep and dark they reminded him of the lake at the Academy, the sun shining through the peaty waters on a late summer afternoon and making them the same shade.

‘You can be here with me.’ Kylo’s voice was so low he was almost inaudible. ‘Just let me not think about anything for a while.’ He was leaning in, his breath ghosting hot over Hux’s mouth. He shivered and then Kylo’s hand was on his face, his thumb at the corner of Hux’s mouth.

Hux knew that he could push Kylo away. The night before had seemed like a dream to him, the alcohol blurring the edges of their actions and making it seem less real than it had been. Doing this now would mean that he would be choosing to take that step, to let Kylo in while he was fully aware of what he was doing.

‘I…’ he trailed off, not sure of what to say.

‘It’s all right.’ Kylo answered. ‘I’m scared too. But with you I feel less scared. With you I feel like I could make it through this. I’m tired of feeling afraid all the time.’ He inched closer. ‘I can feel you feel the same.’

It was true. For the first time in his life, Hux felt like he could reach out and take something for himself, something that no-one would want to hold against him or use to hurt him, to discredit him and topple him from power. He had no power now, and nothing to lose.

It was simplicity itself to cross those last few inches.

Kylo’s mouth was soft and slightly cold from being outside. He moaned a little when Hux reached for him, hand at the back of Kylo’s neck as he pushed in. The response was immediate, Kylo’s mouth opening to admit him and his tongue seeking out Hux’s own. Hux let himself relax into the kiss, and then Kylo’s hands were at his waist and sliding under his shirt. Hux could feel the distinctive callouses on his fingers, the slight scratch of nails and it set his skin alight. It had been so long since he’d done this. He bit down lightly on Kylo’s full lower lip where he’d drawn blood the night before and Kylo whined. He was tugging at Hux’s shirt and Hux let him go and raised his arms, letting all his doubts and fears float away as desire blazed through him like a wildfire. Kylo threw the shirt to the floor and then he pulled back, and Hux closed his eyes as he felt Kylo’s mouth at his neck, sharp teeth biting just hard enough to make his breath catch. He wrapped both arms around him, digging his fingers into the broad shoulders. He held on as the biting turned to licking, the air of the room chilling the trails of saliva Kylo left. He was so hard now it was painful and Hux was sure that even one touch would make him come. He shifted, hoping Kylo would get the idea and was surprised when he got a low chuckle in his ear.

‘I can read what you want.’ Kylo moved back to look at him. Hux reached up, tracing the scar that bisected his face.

‘Does that mean I will be able to as well?’ he asked and Kylo leaned forward, resting their foreheads together.

‘I let you in last night.’ he said. ‘Don’t you remember?’

‘I remember.’ Hux said, his head filling with lava and fractured earth. Kylo chuckled again.

‘That’s how you see me?’ Hux felt him moving through his mind, as gentle as an air current.

‘Yes.’ he replied. ‘Why?’

‘Because this is how I see you.’ Kylo replied and then the landscape changed, the land becoming white and cold, sunlight coming off glaciers in blinding shafts.

‘I’m cold?’ Hux asked, confused. Kylo smiled and it was strangely sweet.

‘You’re beautiful.’ he whispered. ‘I’ve always watched you. I never thought I would get this close.’ He moved and his mouth was on Hux’s again, possessive and demanding in a way that made time stand still. Suddenly it was imperative for Hux to get rid of all the barriers between them. He pulled at Kylo’s shirt.

‘Off.’ he muttered against Kylo’s mouth. ‘Now.’ Kylo broke away from him and stood up. Hux watched as he stripped off his shirt, his eyes widening as he took in the defined muscle of his torso, the way the shadows dipped and highlighted every curve and plane. Then Kylo’s hands dropped to his belt, undoing it and unbuttoning his pants then turned his attention to his boots. Hux could see the outline of his cock and pressed his hand to his own erection, already tenting the fabric of the loose pants he was wearing. Kylo dragged them off, taking his briefs with them and now Hux really did stare. He’d felt the breadth of him the night before, a half recalled memory of soft skin and wide girth, but now he could stare at it all he wanted. Kylo’s cock was quite lovely, standing proud and far more impressive than he’d speculated now that he got to see it and Hux knew he wanted nothing more than to feel it inside him.

‘Kriff, Ren.’ he breathed. Kylo’s expression changed, his smile brilliant. He moved to the end of the bed and took hold of Hux’s own pants, dragging them off him in turn. Hux let him do it and heard Kylo breathe in sharply as he took him in, both of them now naked save for their crystal pouches which neither of them moved to remove.

  
‘So beautiful.’ He said and then he was bending over and digging around for something. Hux frowned and then raised his eyebrows as Kylo threw something onto the bed next to him. He picked it up and started laughing, unable to help himself.

  
‘You came prepared.’ he said. Kylo gave him a cocky smile and climbed onto the bed, moving to kneel over him.

‘Only if you want to.’ he replied, one hand stroking down from Hux’s chest to his belly.

‘Don’t you?’ Hux asked. His answer was a bruising kiss and the dizzying feeling of Kylo’s cock brushing against his own.

‘So much.’ Kylo murmured. ‘Right now I think it’s the only thing that will keep me sane.’

‘In that case, you’d best come here.’ Hux reached for him and Kylo came, lowering himself carefully until they were flush against each other. Hux ran his hands down the strong back, feeling the muscles flex under his hands. So much power and it was all contained and waiting for him to use it.

‘Yes.’ Kylo moaned in his ear. ‘Only for you.’ He thrust down and the friction of their cocks made Hux whine.

‘Kriff.’ He could feel every touch like it was magnified. ‘I hope I remember how to do this.’

‘You and me both.’ Kylo said into his neck and that made Hux laugh. Then Kylo moved his leg so his thigh was pressing against Hux’s cock and it took Hux every ounce of strength inside him to not rub himself all over it like a horny felinx.

‘Well, unless you want this over very soon I suggest you get on with it.’ He said, trying not to sound demanding and failing miserably. Kylo chuckled and his hand came up, long fingers wrapping themselves round the base of Hux’s throat. He started kissing his way down and the anticipation drove Hux slightly mad. He closed his eyes and it was there again, the rivers of lava starting to send contrails of flame into the darkened sky behind them. He scrabbled on the bed next to him, his fingers closing around the tube.

Kylo was now at his chest and Hux bit back a gasp as that generous mouth drifted over one nipple, Kylo’s tongue licking at it with astonishing gentleness. He tanged his free hand in Kylo’s hair, tugging and Kylo lifted his head, his eyes black. Hux looked back, transfixed by the blatant want in them.

‘Harder.’ Kylo breathed. ‘Pull harder.’ Then he dropped his head and this time he sucked hard. Hux arched up, pulling until he felt tension and Kylo responded with just the faintest hint of teeth. He moved across, giving the other the same treatment. Hux was lost, his whole consciousness boiling down to that single point of contact. He could never remember it feeling as good as this.

Kylo was on the move again, his mouth trailing wetness down Hux’s stomach, his hands on his hips and his thumbs rubbing against the crest of his hip bones. Hux could hardly keep still under his gentle assault and when he felt Kylo’s breath on his cock he had to let go and grab the sheet underneath him, twisting it in his fingers.

Kylo leaned in and licked once from the base to the tip of Hux’s cock and it was like being electrocuted. He looked up at Hux, his smile wicked and his hand holding Hux’s cock firm at the base.

‘You taste good.’ he said. ‘I’ve always wondered what you’d taste like.’

‘Really?’ Hux knew he how far gone he was now, able to do nothing but ask stupid questions. The fires in his head flickered as Kylo laughed.

‘Yes, General.’ he replied. ‘I have.’ Then he bent back down and took Hux in his mouth. He moved steadily, his mouth velvety soft and hot. Hux let go, moaning shamelessly as the fires started to grow, his whole mind filling with it. It was scorching him, too much and too hot but he didn’t want it to end. He wanted it to consume him, to burn him to ashes. He felt the tell-tale tremors in his groin and reached down, tugging at Kylo’s hair again.

‘Up.’ he demanded. ‘I want to come with you inside me.’ Kylo lifted his head, his mouth wet. He wiped it with the back of his hand and moved onto his knees.

‘Give it to me.’ he said and Hux held the tube up to him. Kylo took it and then edged along to lie down next to him. Stretched out next to him, Hux could see how different they were in spite of their comparable height. Kylo was simply so wide, his bulk dwarfing Hux’s own slender frame. He took his time, uncapping the lubrication and coating his fingers. Hux watched in anticipation, every fibre of his body eager for what he knew was coming. He looked down and then ran his fingers along the length of Kylo’s cock.

‘Big everywhere.’ he said and Kylo snorted. He reached down between Hux’s legs and the cold of the lubrication took Hux a little by surprise, making him gasp. Kylo’s touch was light, teasing and Hux couldn’t help growling at him.

‘For kriff’s sake, will you hurry up?’ he said and Kylo bit him on the shoulder.

‘You’re so impatient.’ he replied. ‘Training you is going to be a nightmare.’ He pushed and the tip of one finger went in. ‘You’re tight.’

‘And you’re going too slow.’ Hux snapped, his frustration making him reach down and grab Kylo’s wrist, driving the whole thing inside him. It burned a little, but the feeling of being filled was heady. Next to him, Kylo dropped his forehead to Hux’s shoulder.

‘Stars.’ he said and Hux felt unbearably smug at how rough his voice was. He pushed back down onto Kylo’s hand, willing his body into submission.

‘Come on.’ he said. ‘Do it.’ Kylo lifted his head and leaned over him, his mouth silencing Hux even as he started to drive his finger in and out, the lubrication making the slide effortless. The burn had abated and now there was only pleasure as his body remembered how good this made him feel. Soon it wasn’t enough and Hux was about to push Kyo away and demand more when he felt the next finger slide in alongside the first.

_I can feel what you want, remember?_

_Then fuck me._

_Hux…_

_Ren. Now._

The fingers sped up and Hux bit at Kylo’s mouth, all semblance of control gone. He spread his legs wider, draping one over Kylo’s thigh and pushed into the driving fingers. Kylo moaned and it was low and deep, his breath hot on Hux’s neck.

_I want you._

_Yes…yes._

Hux shoved at him and Kylo pulled his fingers out. Hux sat up abruptly, rolling Kylo onto his back and seeing the firelight on his face as he moved to straddle him. He got hold of Kylo’s cock, holding it still as he lowered and biting his lip as it penetrated him. It was more than he’d taken before and he had to grit his teeth and take his time, but once it started to go in it was easier. He closed his eyes and braced his hands on Kylo’s chest, the skin smooth under his fingers, and lowered himself inch by inch until he could sit flush against him. Hux had never felt so full, Kylo’s cock sitting deep inside him. He rocked once and Kylo thrust up in reply and the fires exploded behind Hux’s eyes. He opened his eyes and saw Kylo staring at him. Then he raised his hands and Hux took them in his own, their fingers interlocking.

_Ride me. I want to feel you come around me._

_Yes._

It started slow, both of them finding their feet after a long abstinence, but then it was like it all clicked into place and suddenly the fires were surging but the desperation was gone, replaced with a deep ripple of emotion. Hux used the leverage from balancing on Kylo’s hands to rise and fall, Kylo’s cock filing him up on every downward movement. He watched Kylo intently, charting all his breaths and the shivers he made when Hux clenched around him. Kylo watched him in return, his eyes locked with Hux’s and his grip tight.

_You’re good at this._

Hux smiled and leaned back and Kylo’s cock brushed in just the right place. He let his head fall back, eyes closing.

_I could watch you like this forever._

‘Shut up, Ren’ Hux gritted out. He could feel it coming for him, the stimulation inside him enough in his deprived state to get him right to the edge. He moved harder, faster and every shift of his hips made them both pant. He drove himself down hard and Kylo dropped his hands and grabbed him by the hips.

‘That’s it.’ he moaned. ‘Fuck yourself on me.’ He planted his feet against the bed and matched Hux’s movements. Hux took himself in hand, one hand on Kylo’s stomach to steady himself. He was wet, the slickness at the head of cock making it smooth and easy and he was barely three strokes in when it started to crest, waves of pleasure consuming him from the inside out.

When he came it was so strong that he shouted, knocked down by the strength of it. He came across Kylo’s chest, vaguely hearing Kylo’s answering shout, barely feeling the spasmodic tightening of Kylo’s body underneath him as he came with him. The fires in his head had changed, the glow changing from orange and red to blue and white. They still burned and it felt even more intense, even hotter than before but at the same time it felt controlled. Hux was not sure how much time had passed before he could think again, but when he could the flames were still there although they had ebbed. He looked down at Kylo’s blissful smile.

_What is that?_

_It’s us that you’re feeling. You and me together._

_Ren._

_Hux._

Hux leaned down, and they kissed. It was soft and slow and when he pulled back Kylo cupped his cheek.

_Can I sleep here tonight?_

Hux looked back at him steadily.

_Yes you can._


	20. The Final Piece

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The last member of the Grey Council turns up. And there are amused comments from the night before.

_Kylo recognised his surroundings but even the fact that he was dreaming couldn’t stop the well of panic inside him. It was dark, so dark that he could barely make out anything, and the hot dry air smelt like sulphur. His skin felt too tight, his eyes shrunken in their sockets and he dragged himself along with barely any energy at all. And yet he pressed on, the hard packed dirt unforgiving under his feet. He could feel the Darkness around him, swirling like unseen mist, a cloak that wrapped itself around him. But where it had felt like strength and determination before, now it just felt like fear and pain._

_Kylo had been here before, knew it was one of his first trials when he’d been bought by Snoke to the Citadel. It had been a test of endurance, a chance to show how long he could suffer. He’d been left in the catacombs below the building with no water, light or food. He’d stumbled around in the dark for days, getting increasingly delirious and subsisting off the moisture that collected in cracks and whatever vermin he could catch. He had finally given in and collapsed after what felt like forever and when he’d woken up, Snoke had been by his bedside assuring him that he had done well. His reward had been to eat and drink as much as he could, but his shrunken stomach had made him vomit up everything afterwards. He learned to curb himself after that and Snoke had told him he’d learned control._

_Kylo remembered feeling proud._

_He stopped, listening. In his dream he could feel something, a little tug on his consciousness. It crept up, small and unbidden and dark, and Kylo tried to bat it away but it was persistent. It was trying to get in, and he could feel it scrabbling away with it sharp little claws._

_Ben._

_The word made him whirl around, searching the dark._

_Don’t call me that._

_BEN._

Kylo woke with a start. He lay still for a moment and then sat up, his heart racing and his mouth dry. Then he saw the person standing at the foot of his bed and his eyes widened as he realised who it was. He’d been told of Vader, the man who stalked the hallways of the Death Star leaving terror in his wake. A tall dark monster, more machine than man, whose mechanical voice he’d tried to emulate for so long. The man looking down at him was dressed in Jedi robes, his outline defined by a barely discernible blue shimmer. He was young, younger than Kylo was by his estimation.

‘Don’t call me that.’ he repeated and Anakin nodded.

‘All right.’ he said. ‘Kylo. Get up. We need to talk and it’s probably going to be better if we do it somewhere else.’ He looked pointedly at the bed next to Kylo.

That brought Kylo back down to earth and he followed Anakin’s gaze to look at the sleeping form next to him, a funny little lurch in his stomach. Hux was on his side facing him, the moonlight bleaching out his fiery hair and making it colourless. Sleep softened his features and made him look more human than anytime he was awake. Kylo felt an urge to reach out and brush back the hair that had flopped over his closed eyes. Then he remembered who he was talking to and looked back at Anakin, embarrassed at being caught looking so sentimental. To his surprise, there was no condemnation in his grandfather’s eyes, only warm humour and what looked like nostalgia.

‘It looks like we share a type.’ he said and Kylo frowned.

‘I don’t…’ he started and Anakin raised his hand to quiet him.

‘Come.’ he said, now smiling. ‘It would be a shame to wake him and we have much to talk about.’

Kylo scrambled out of the bed, clumsy in his sleepiness, and dragged on his pants and shirt. He followed Anakin out of Hux’s room noting with amusement that Anakin stopped to stroke Millicent as she sat on the low table and watched them.

‘She can see you?’ he asked.

‘Cats always see us.’ Anakin replied. The blue shimmer around him shifted and danced as he walked.

They walked the quiet corridors, the silence in the ziggurat absolute but for the soft pad of Kylo’s bare feet on the floor. They went up and up, until they were on the flat stretch of black stone where the Kyari stood. Anakin led him to the side of the central tower and Kylo followed, noticing a small flight of stairs built into the side.

Anakin finally stopped when they got to the very top, a small pagoda type structure surmounting the tower. From there, Kylo could look out over the entire valley. It wasn’t as dark as he’d assumed, milky opalescent light starting to filter in at the edges of the horizon.

‘The sun rises early here.’ Anakin said. ‘It reminds me a little of Naboo.’

Kylo came to stand next to him, stealing a look at the profile that was remarkably like his own. It was so strange to think this was the man he’d idolised for so long. He’d been devoted to the idea of Vader, an all-powerful monster that had no human face. He couldn’t help but notice the scar that ran across Anakin’s face and lifted his fingers to brush the one that mirrored it on his own face. Anakin caught his glance and smiled.

‘I am not him anymore.’ he said. ‘This is my true form, who I was always meant to be if I hadn’t fallen. Not that horror that I became.’ He looked at Kylo.

‘You are far younger than I expected.’ Kylo said.

‘I was young when I fell to the Dark Side.’ Anakin said. ‘Younger than you are now. And the day that I became Vader, Anakin Skywalker died.’ His face was filled with curiosity when he looke at Kylo again. ‘You were never told how I fell?’

‘I was told nothing about you.’ Kylo said. ‘Snoke was the one who first told me of your greatness.’ Anakin snorted loudly and it was so unexpected that Kylo was a little shocked by it.

‘My greatness.’ he said, the sarcasm thick. ‘I murdered defenceless children, killed my wife, tortured my own daughter and participated in the oppression and genocide of millions. I’d hardly call that greatness.’ His eyes were cold. ‘Snoke has fed you lie upon lie, and his greatest one was convincing you that I was worthy of your devotion to me.’

‘If so then why did you not come to me yourself?’ Kylo asked, a surge of anger rising inside him. ‘I implored you to speak with me. You could have told me yourself.’

‘I wanted to.’ Anakin said. ‘But when you were born, I felt the conflict. Even at that age you had the capacity for great Light but also Great Darkness. I thought that any influence from me would tip you into the Dark and I couldn’t do that to you. By the time I knew anything was wrong, Snoke was already embedded in your mind and he kept me out. He is powerful. Even Luke could not expel him.’

‘Wait.’ Kylo was taken aback. ‘Luke knew?’

‘Not until much later.’ Anakin said. ‘He could feel the Dark growing in you, and yet he still tried. He fought to the bitter end to keep you from falling but it was not enough. One of the reasons he abandoned this life was the guilt he felt at what he’d done. He continued to believe you could be swayed even after you proved yourself incapable of being able to live on the side of the Light. He felt he’d failed you and in doing so he failed all his other Paduwan. And then you killed them and all his fears came to pass. He knew then that he had greatly underestimated your capacity for evil.’

Kylo stared at him, turmoil consuming him as he considered what he was being told.

‘I never knew any of this.’ he said.

‘Just as Snoke never told you that your power lies not in the choosing of one side, but in your capacity for both.’ Anakin said. ‘I was like you. I fought myself constantly. It took Luke to bring me back to the Light, but I did return.’ He shrugged.

‘Here you have a unique opportunity. You have the chance to bring both sides of yourself into balance and become who you are meant to be.’

‘Even after all I have done?” Kylo asked and Anakin nodded.

‘You’re never going to redeem yourself, just as I was not able to.’ he said. ‘What you did flies in the face of all that the Force is and represents. You are a corruption of what can be achieved. But then maybe that is what you are meant to be.’

‘I don’t understand.’ Kylo said. ‘You say I cannot be redeemed but at the same time you don’t condemn me.’

‘It’s no longer my place to offer redemption or condemnation.’ Anakin said. ‘I am here on a rather unofficial capacity.’ He smiled. ‘I was kind of invited, actually.’

‘By who?’ Kylo asked. Anakin didn’t reply. Instead he just smiled and then faded away.

Kylo stood, looking at the empty space. Then he turned sat down at the edge of the ledge and watched the sun come up. He had no idea how long he sat there, but he felt freer and calmer than he had in a very long time.

The light that came with sunrise was delicate, glinting off the far stretch of water and casting deep shadows on the black stone. Kylo waited until it was starting to peer over the horizon and then got up and descended back down to the entrance to the ziggurat.

It was as he was going back down to Hux’s room that he felt the feeling of déjà vu. He got to Hux’s door and opened it. He went inside and walked to the edge of Hux’s bed, the same sense of coming back to the thing that made him feel grounded stealing over him. Hux was still asleep, Millicent curled up underneath his chin. Kylo went to the window, adjusting the tint so the room was once again dim, then came back to the bed and looked down at him. The feeling inside him was unfamiliar, deep and almost tortuous in its intensity. He knew it was more than the fucking. If it had just been that, he wouldn’t have opened up the way he had. He moved to sit to the die of the bed, then reached out and sank his hand into Millicent’s fur. She opened one green eye and then stretched. Kylo smiled and nudged her mind gently, suggesting she’d be more comfortable on the seat. Millicent obliged him, getting up and jumping gracefully off the bed. Kylo watched her go curl up on the seat and then stood back up. He stripped off his clothes and got back into the bed, leaning on one elbow as he looked at Hux. There was just enough light to make his hair glow, a deep copper red that reminded Kylo of the inside of a volcano. He lifted his hand and traced the line of Hux’s cheekbone, seeing the palest of pale tan freckles dusted along it.

‘Ren.’ Hux’s voice was thick with sleep, but no less snippy for that. ‘What are you doing?’

‘Nothing.’ Kylo replied. He ran the finger down over soft red beard and then along the line of Hux’s lower lip. ‘It’s just so unusual to see you not screaming at me.’

‘That can be arranged.’ Hux replied. He opened his eyes and the green was mixed with grey that morning. They reminded Kylo of storm clouds. He shifted and moved so he was half on his back. Kylo stared at the expanse of pale skin in front of him, his heart speeding up. Hux gave him a lazy smile. Kylo returned it.

‘You shouldn’t do that.’ he said, leaning in until they were only inches apart.

‘What?’ Hux sounded defiant, even though he was clearly not completely awake yet.

‘Smile at me like that.’ Kylo replied. He placed his hand at the side of Hux’s neck, feeling the pulse jump under his thumb.

‘Your eyes are much lighter than I thought they were.’ Hux said. ‘Kiss me.’

Kylo did as he asked, leaning down just enough to kiss him once, making it soft and slow. He felt Hux’s hand at the back of his head, fingers tangling in his hair. When they separated, he was breathless.

‘I don’t know what to feel around you anymore.' he said. ‘I’m supposed to hate you. I’ve always hated you.’

‘I still hate you.’ Hux said. He pulled Kylo back down, the kiss becoming demanding. Kylo went happily, letting Hux bite his lower lip and then lick into his mouth. He ran his hand down Hux’s chest, feeling smooth skin under his palm. Hux’s tongue was in his mouth, running along the line of his teeth and Kylo let him take control, the sensation dizzying. He reached out with his mind and brushed against Hux’s.

_I want you._

He felt Hux’s assent and moved his hand so it rested on the flat stomach, muscles flexing under his touch. Hux bit at his mouth and the sting brought Kylo up short. He pulled back and saw a wicked glint in his green eyes.

‘I did all the work last night.’ Hux said. ‘I think it’s only fair that you return the favour.’

‘Whatever the General commands.’ Kylo replied. Hux chuckled and Kylo was about to move on top of him when the door chimed.

‘Kriff.’ Hux said, looking at the door. ‘Do you think you could convince them to go away?’ Kylo grinned. The door chimed again and then they both heard it.

_Hux. Get up. Eldrine wants to meet you._

‘Bloody hell.’ Hux fell back onto the pillow. ‘She has terrible timing.’

_Say that to her face. I dare you. And tell Kylo to come with._

Hux looked at Kylo, sudden realisation dawning on his face.

‘She knows?’ he asked and Kylo suppressed a smile at the outrage in his voice.

_The whole complex knows. You two blew every damn light on this corridor with your shenanigans. Not to mention that you are both loud enough to wake the dead. Now get your arses up and out of bed before I come in there and kick them out._

***********

Kylo went back to his room after being summarily chased out by Hux and scolded for his lack of indiscretion. Kylo had to stifle a laugh at that because Kasha had clearly said it had been both of them that had blown the lights.

He was dressed in his training gear, tying his hair in a knot at the back of his head as he now seemed to do, when he got to the training room. Hux had yet to make an appearance, but Kylo could feel him fussing around in the back of his head. He was amused to note that the usually arrogant Hux was nervous. The sounds of lightsabers caught his attention and when he got to the room itself it was to see two people duelling, their strikes so fast it dazzled him. He’d wanted to see what Sudaka’s style was like ever since he had met them, and now he was getting a grand display. Kasha was dressed like her master that morning, the same white wrapped jacket and black spilt skirt, although her sash was black and not green. She was barefoot like Sudaka and they spun and attacked with an energy that Kylo could feel radiating off of them. He moved into the room but they did not spare him a glance, not that he would have expected to. He felt himself being drawn in though, his eyes taking in every twirl and strike. The aggression was all there, simmering just under the surface and he watched intently.

Kasha was on the attack now, her lightsaber twirling elegantly as she turned and danced into Sudaka’s space, her speed counteracting their strength and Kylo recognised the technique from the day before. Then she fell back as Sudaka increased their attack, raining blows that would have easily cut through flesh and bone if their lightsaber found their mark. He moved as close as he could without getting in the way and sat down cross legged to watch. A moment later he felt a presence behind him and then someone came to kneel next to him. Kylo turned and saw Jokhan. The Nelvaanian gave him a smile, her fangs clearly visible.

‘So you and the general had a good time last night.’ she growled and Kylo flushed.

‘Those damn lights.’ he muttered and she snorted with laughter.

‘No.’ she replied. ‘I can smell him all over you.’ Kylo looked at her and she tapped her moist black nose. ‘Force sense. I have heightened capabilities. Right now you reek of him.’

‘Wonderful.’ Kylo said, and then they both turned as Lendry came into the room. She padded over, also barefoot and dressed for training, and then dropped down to sit behind Jokhan, one arm around her and pulling the Nelvaanian in close enough for them to rub noses.

‘Good morning my beauty.’ she said to her and got a deep rumbling growl in return. ‘Have you been making fun of our newest recruit?’

‘Only a little.’ Jokhan said, the back of one hand stroking along Lendry’s bare arm. ‘He is so very easy to make fun of.’

‘I am sitting right here.’ Kylo grumbled and they both chuckled at him. They sat and watched the continuing duel.

Then, almost as if it was a puzzle piece clicking into place, Kylo started to see something in what he was seeing. He felt it too, a deep dark energy that was held carefully held in check. The strikes remained chaotic but he started to see the grace and beauty in the chaos, in the overwhelming strength in the attacks.

_Now you’re learning._

Sudaka and Kasha came to a stop, then nodded at each other before powering down their lightsabers. They turned and looked at Kylo.

‘Now you see.’ Kasha said, smiling as she came towards him. ‘By harnessing both parts of yourself, you will learn the Way of the Vornskr. You are a hunter, like us. It will come.’ She patted him on the shoulder as she passed.

Sudaka looked towards the door, and Kylo followed their gaze. His eyes widened as he took in the person that had just walked in. She was tall, even taller than he was. Kylo was fairly sure she was of a height with Phasma. Her arms and legs seemed overly long, her skin a deep teal green. She had no hair and instead she had tendrils very similar to Mosh’s lekku, but more numerous in number, that fell from the back of her head. There were two smaller tendrils either side of her mouth, which was a lipless slit. Her eyes were opaque and white and she had no discernible nasal features at all. There were gold rings at the base of each tendril and she wore a white robe with a red and gilt chest piece that looked like armour with shoulder caps. The robe was split at each side to show that she wore loose pants tucked into leather boots underneath. There was a wide red sash about her waist overlaid with an ornate gilt belt and her lightsaber was clipped to it. Sudaka inclined their head.

_Welcome Master Eldrine._

‘Greetings Master Sudaka.’ Eldrine replied. Her voice was pleasant, warm and well-modulated. All Kylo could feel from her was a sense of deep calm and detachment radiating from her. Then he saw that she wasn’t alone. Hux was behind her, fully dressed in his dark blue shirt and black pants, his boots highly polished and his hair impeccably combed. Kylo felt a tug of affection as he realised that was why Hux had been delayed. He’d been making himself presentable, as he’d learned to do in the Academy and beyond when he wanted to impress a superior. Hux caught his amused look and his eyes narrowed infinitesimally, the green flashing dangerously.

_Don’t look at me like that._

_I just think it’s nice you dressed up for her._

_That is precisely why you would never have advanced in the normal ranks. You have no sense of decorum._

_Says the man who let me come in his ass last night._

_THAT IS NOT THE POINT._

_Did you at least wash it out? The come. From your ass. That I left there._

_KRIFF OFF._

Kylo grinned as he was summarily kicked out of Hux’s head. This was going to be so much fun.


	21. Co-Operation

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Three days on.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Huge thanks to the Copper River for giving me the bit about Corvis and the Force sensitive trees and for being a wonderful friend and sounding board :)

Kylo watched with narrowed eyes from the side of the training room. Eldrine was making Hux run form drills again and again and to say it was distracting was an understatement. For one, he’d only ever seen Hux unkempt on the night they had slept together and the association was still fresh in his mind. Now watching him moving in perfect stylised movements, brandishing his training saber while sweating and generally looking a mess was doing things to Kylo’s head as well as his cock.

The second thing was that all this stimulation was going completely unsatisfied. Elrine was even more of a taskmaster than ash and she had pretty much monopolised Hux’s time, leaving him exhausted and irritable and incredibly unreceptive to Kylo’s overtures for a repeat performance of their night three days before. What was even worse, was that Hux was going along with it. Kylo was sure he was starting to rekindle his irrational hatred of him, as well as Eldrine for good measure.

He chewed on a thumb nail, his eyes glued to Hux’s form. He was surprisingly graceful, the stylised forms of Makashi seemingly tailor made for him. His confidence was also increasing in leaps and bounds and he now wielded the training saber like it was an extension of his own arm, his former training in fencing standing him in good stead. Kylo remembered his first training sessions, how clumsy and awkward he had been. The saber had felt like it was trying to get away from him, and he’d never quite developed the deftness of touch that the other Paduwans had picked up with ease.

‘Focus.’ Kasha said and kicked his bare foot with her own. They were seated opposite each other, an unlit candle between them. She was attempting to see if he could light it with the Force, but he was far too distracted. Kylo glared at her and she glared right back. It was turning out that his new master (even if she refused to accept the title) was every bit as stubborn as he was. Kasha had also taken a leaf out of Eldrine’s book and kept him pushed to the limits of his stamina to see what he was capable of. She was fascinated by his ability to stop blaster bolts and had made him stand and let Corvis fire at him the day before while she watched. Not only that, but she seemed possessed of a stupid amount of enthusiasm and, while mindful of the fact that he was still recovering from his injuries, had kept him working until his mind and his body was exhausted. It was the only reason he’d accepted Hux’s rejection of his suggestion that they take to their rooms and do unspeakable things to each other.

‘I can’t focus.’ he said, knowing he sounded like a stroppy adolescent but not giving a kriff. ‘That is distracting me.’ He pointed accusingly at where Hux was cycling his way through a series of strikes and parries. Kasha heaved a sigh.

‘All right, change of tack.’ She said, getting to her feet and holding out a hand. Kylo took it and let her haul him up. He was a little alarmed by how comfortable he’d become with her in such a short space of time, but put it down to the fact that she really hadn’t given him much room to protest about the familiar way she treated him. ‘Let’s get you out of here and somewhere you’ll actually be able to get something done. I need to go say goodbye to Corvis anyway.’

Kylo snuck one more look at Hux, catching him just as he was blowing his hair out of his eyes. Kylo clenched his fists, fighting the urge to go over and drag him off by that fiery hair. Kasha chuckled.

‘You know you could just court him’ she said and kylo looked at her as if she was talking gibberish.

‘Court him?’ he asked and she nodded.

‘Why not?’ She smiled. ‘Mark once brought me a very valuable gift when we were courting. He stole it from Perpicinea Hutt.’

‘What was it?’ Kylo asked, his curiosity making him tear his eyes away from Hux as they left the training room.

‘A holocron.’ Kasha said. ‘I think at the time he didn’t have a clue what it was other than it was a Jedi artefact. It turned out to hold a very valuble teaching. It’s how I learned to use Force flame.’

‘Really?’ Kylo was taken aback. ‘And he just stole it like that?’

‘Not exactly.’ Kasha was smiling broadly. ‘It’s one of the reasons the bounty on his head is as large as the one on mine. I remember when he gave it to me. I could almost see him crossing his fingers and hoping it was something good and not a treatise on Force sensitive trees for something.’

They walked towards the gallery that ran along the side of the ziggurat and then she took Kylo down a staircase he hadn’t explored yet.

‘What’s down here.’ he asked as they descended, the lighting coming up and fading out behind they as they moved deeper and deeper into the ziggurat.

‘The workshop.’ Kasha replied. ‘I think it’s time for you to start working on your new saber.’ That set off a little thrill inside Kylo.

‘This is good.’ he said. ‘I wasn’t planning on touching that other one again.’

‘No.’ Kasha said. ‘I could feel that. Probably just as well after what you used it to do.’

They got to a lower corridor and came to a door. Kasha punched in an entry code and Kylo watched her closely, committing it to memory. It opened and they stepped inside, Kylo’s eyes widening as he took in the cluttered mess. There were three workbenches and numerous boxes of parts and components.

‘This is a mess.’ he exclaimed and then felt a horrible twinge as he realised that it looked almost identical to a long forgotten workshop that had belonged to his father. Kasha watched him, her eyes calm in the face of his emotional turmoil.

‘This is your burden to bear.’ she said and Kylo knew what she was referring to. ‘You will carry that forever. And this is organised chaos, thank you very much.’ She smiled at the room. ‘I keep saying I’ll get around to sorting everything out but I never do. Just try not to move things around too much. You can get started. I’m going to see the others off and I’ll be back to check on you later. You can use anything you like.’ She smiled as she noticed that Kylo was already starting to poke around. ‘Kylo? Did you hear what I said?’ Kylo huffed and waved an impatient hand at her.

‘Yes, yes. Go and say goodbye to your husband. I’ll be fine here.’ He started scratching through a box of components. Kasha chuckled and walked to the door.

‘By the way,’ she said, turning to look at him. ‘You’ll be teaching Hux how to do this.’

‘What?’ Kylo said, but she just smiled and left the room. Kylo huffed and went back to looking through the components. He thought about his first lightsabre, the one still in the chest in the training room. He’d modelled it on Luke’s saber, thinking to impress his uncle. It had always felt weak to him, the pale blue blade an indication of the unsure Paduwan he’d been. The other, the one he’d built under Snoke had been very different. He remembered having a vision of a red crystal and then Snoke had given it to him the very next time they had met. Kylo’s hand came up and he took hold of the pouch around his neck. His first attempt at housing the crystal had ended in failure, the crystal cracking when he’d tried to ignite the saber. In hindsight Kylo knew he was lucky it hadn’t exploded. Snoke had been furious and Kylo had been severely punished, locked up and starved for days for not being worthy. When he was finally allowed to try again, Snoke made him use the now unstable crystal and kylo had meditated for hours on how to build a saber that would contain the power. The design had come to him in a vision, but he was now not sure just how much of that had been him and how much had been Snoke.

Kylo took a deep breath, clearing his mind of the past. It was getting easier and easier to do and he’d no further nightmares since his encounter with Hux. He located a stool in the corner and brought it over to the workbench he’d been standing at and pulled the boxes of components towards him with the Force, feeling a little thrill at using it for something so mundane. He closed his eyes, hand back over the crystal, and focused. The Force was everywhere, flowing through and around him. Kylo let himself still his mind and got to work. Everything seemed to jump into sharp relief and he let go of the crystal and held out both hands.

**********

Kasha walked out into the sunshine. Corvis was making the last preparations before the Kyari took off and she moved to where he was standing, waving up at Mosh and Bhutara in the cockpit. They had already said their goodbyes at breakfast and she and Corvis had made the best of their last evening together, but she could never resist one last kiss from her errant husband.

Corvis smiled as she got to him and held out his arms. Kasha walked into them, sinking into the strong embrace.

‘I will miss you.’ she said. ‘We never seem to be in the same space and time for very long these days.’ Corvis kissed the top of her head.

‘That’s what happens when you try to stage a coup.’ he said.

‘Oluru isn’t going to be pleased.’ Kasha couldn’t resist a smirk. ‘I pity your ears.’

‘You leave my mother to me.’ Corvis said. He took her face in his hands and kissed her. ‘I love you.’

‘I love you.’ Kasha replied. ‘Try not to get yourself killed.’

‘No promises.’ Corvis said and nudged her nose with his. It was a an old ritual of theirs, a leftover from the first time he’d left her after she’d realised that she did in fact love the idiotic cocky Corellian that seemed to delight in trying to annoy her as much as possible. She stepped back and watched him disappear inside the Kyari, the ramp lifting until the ship was sealed, then retreated to the safety of the doorway and watched as the Kyari’s engines ignited and she lifted off to fly in a graceful arc before disappearing into the sky. Only then did she walk back out onto the platform of black stone, staring up until she was almost blinded by the glare.

‘You are always so melancholy when he goes.’ Kasha didn’t turn as she heard her mother’s voice beside her. ‘It’s why I avoided attachments where I could.’

‘I know.’ she replied and then turned. Mara stood next to her, the only indication that she wasn’t actually there the fact that her hair was not stirred by the light breeze. ‘But he brings me balance.’

‘He is a good man.’ Mara said. ‘I could not have wished for better for you.’ A mischievous smile stole over her face and Kasha raised an eyebrow at her. ‘I see that your two would be Jedi have finally decided that they quite like each other as well.’

‘Yes. Although we will have to train them not to blow the lights every time they wish to express their affection.’ she said and Mara laughed.

‘You were no better.’ she said. ‘If I remember correctly, you shattered an entire viewport the first time you and Corvis were together. Oluru was livid. That ship was her prize possession.’ Kasha smiled at the memory.

‘It is as you predicted.’ she replied. ‘They are getting stronger as well. I would not be surprised if they form a Force bond.’

‘It will aid their separation if they do.’ Mara said. ‘They will be able to feel each other’s presence and it will at least make it a little easier to bear.’ She looked at Kasha expectantly. ‘Have you told them?’

‘No.’ Kasha said. ‘I am hoping that they will understand the necessity. Hux more than likely will. He’s a strategist and he’ll understand that Eldrine needs to train him and keep him out of sight for a while. Besides what Kylo and I have to do is not the place for him.’ Her eyes were serious. ‘I am going to say six months and then he should be ready.’

‘They should both be ready.’ Mara said. ‘Snoke has found you here. Only my power and Anakin’s is keeping him at bay.’

‘I find it most amusing that you are both now working for a common cause, considering your previous working relationship was less than civil. We will only be able to move once they have forged their sabers.’ Kasha said. ‘By then the bond should be underway.’

‘It’s already underway.’ Mara said. ‘Their feelings have been long supressed but the other night has woken them both up.’

‘We’re like a bunch of matchmakers.’ Kasha laughed.

‘The vision was very clear.’ Mara said. ‘And Anakin agrees with me. They will be far stronger together than apart. Six months for training, but that is all. We are on a schedule.’

‘Yes, Mother.’ Kasha said, her lips twitching in amusement.

***********

Hux stopped, out of breath and with his skin smarting in several places from where Eldrine’s blows had found their target. She had swapped out her own weapon, a double-sided lightsabre with a brilliant turquoise blade, and was using another of the training sabers. It was non-lethal, only delivering a very nasty shock when he was hit with it, but Hux found the sensation particularly unpleasant.

‘Better.’ Eldrine said. She was walking around him, checking his form. ‘You are taking to it well. However, you must be cautious of becoming too complacent. Makashi is an excellent form, based on order and precision, but you must also know when to break with it and modify your combat to the situation at hand.’

‘I thought the form was the principle.’ Hux said, watching as she reached out with her giant hands and delicately adjusted his grip on the hilt of the saber.

‘It is.’ Eldrine replied. ‘But principles are all very well and good when everyone plays by the same rules. Your opponents will not. And it is then that you must know how to bend. The green bough is stronger for its ability to move with the wind.’ Hux huffed a laugh. He like Eldrine. She was stern and serious and committed to her role and took her training of him very seriously and he appreciated that. Kasha and Sudaka had been right about their fit. She reminded him a great deal of an old mentor of his at the Academy, one of the few instructors who had taken the time to encourage him. Her name had been Demara Heald and she had been his blaster rifle instructor and the one who had introduced him to the joy of sniping. Hux had learned many things from her – patience and the need for an excellent strategy and the pleasure one could take in doing things that others deemed impossible. He remembered the day he’d broken the Academy record for the longest fired shot. She had not cheered, simply placed on hand on his shoulder and given him an approving nod. It had been the best piece of praise Hux had ever received.

‘Kasha is teaching Ren something different.’ he said. ‘What is it?’ He lifted the lightsabre into the first salute and started running through the forms again.

‘Sudaka taught Kasha the Seventh Form and now she shall be teaching it to Kylo.’ she said. ‘It is called Juyo or the Way of The Vornksr.’

‘Vornskr?’ Hux looked at her. ‘What is that?’

‘A predatory animal that is aligned with the Force.’ Eldrine said. ‘All Forms are named for an animal, but only the Second and the Seventh are in true opposition to each other. Makashi is the Way of the Ysalamiri, which as you know are able to neutralise the Force and render it useless. Vornskr are the opposite. They wield the Force as skilfully as we can to hunt. Both life forms developed this skill in direct response to each other.’ She gave him the odd tightening of her mouth that Hux had come to recognise as the Feeorin equivalent of a smile. ‘The vornskr came to be Force sensitive to hunt the ysalamiri and the ysalamiri became Force repellent to evade the vornskr.’ She waited for him to stop and nodded, an indication Hux could power down his saber.

They sat and Eldrine folded her hands in her lap after placing her own saber aside. Hux followed suit. He was a little surprised at how easily he had fallen back into the pattern of training and subordination after being the leading officer on the Finalizer for six years.

‘Makashi is based on the perfection of order and strategy.’ she said. ‘Juyo is the antithesis of that. It is based on emotion and chaos. It has no pattern but that which the practitioner uses in the heat of battle. Kylo battles the same pull from both Light and Dark that Kasha and Sudaka do. They are aggression and bloodlust, unable to stop their emotions from influencing them. It is a difficult pathway for them to tread, to learn to control the darkness inside them.’

‘Sudaka?’ Hux was surprised. ‘But they are always so calm.’

‘Yes, but that has come with great experience.’ Eldrine said. ‘Sudaka is a Koloxian and extremely long lived. They are even older than I am and I am well into my second century. Their people have long used the Force and understood its duality.’

‘And people like us?’ Hux asked. Eldrine chuckled, a rough gargling sound.

‘We are ruthlessness, perfectionism and strategy. We do what we feel is right to achieve the ends of the principles we hold to.’ she said. ‘We are the unbending belief in what we do. It is what drove you to wipe out an entire system. The knowledge that what you were doing was necessary to achieve your aims.’

‘Yes.’ Hux said. ‘That is exactly it.’ He looked at Ekdrine and her opaque eyes seemed to be looking at him with the same approval he’d once received from Heald.

‘Enough.’ she said and closed her eyes. ‘Now we shall meditate.’

**********

Kylo blew his hair out of his eyes and made a sound of frustration. He was ill suited to the kind of delicate work putting a lightsabre together entailed. It was one of the reasons his last one had been so crudely finished, his impatience getting the better of him. It had now been several hours that he’d been working, and he was ready to throw a workbench against the wall.

He looked down at the components he’d selected. He had most of the power assembly done, having set the diatium power cell in the power field conductor and laid out the primary crystal mount and power vortex ring in front of him. The inert power insulator was next and Kylo both his lip as he used the Force to lock it around the power field conductor. He lifted one hand when he was done, wiping at the sweat that was beaded on his forehead. He heard the sound of the door opening and Kasha’s footsteps as she came to stand next to him. Her hand came down on his shoulder and Kylo shivered a little. He hadn’t realised until his night with Hux just how he missed physical interaction, and while this touch was purely platonic it was also comforting.

‘It’s looking good.’ she said and he shook his head.

‘I’m not good at this.’ he held up his hands. ‘Too clumsy.’ He gave her a half smile. ‘You would have been appalled to see my last one.’ Kasha frowned a little.

‘Show me.’ she said. ‘Maybe I can offer some advice.’

Kylo sighed, closed his eyes and focused. He brought up the image of his last saber, the cross guard hilt and the incomplete casing. Kasha pressed in gently and he could feel her examining the image.

‘It’s a mess.’ he said. ‘The crystal was cracked so I had to use a different design.’

‘No.’ Kasha’s voice held something like awe. ‘You built this?’

‘Yes.’ Kylo waited for the criticism, the humiliation. Snoke had scoffed at it, berated him for thinking he was worthy to wield a saber based on one of the greatest battles in their history.

‘It’s magnificent.’ Kasha said, and her words nearly knocked him sideways. ‘That cross guard design is quiet spectacular.’

‘The crystal was cracked.’ Kylo replied. ‘I needed to vent the energy. If I hadn’t it would have been unstable.’

‘It must have been so hard to use.’ Kasha said. ‘The strength needed to simply strike with it must have been exceptional.’ She gave Kylo an appraising look. ‘I guess that explains the muscles.’ Then she looked thoughtful. ‘You know that there Jedi crossguard weapons. The ports could be for aesthetic purposes as well as practical ones.’

‘What are you saying?’ Kylo asked.

‘I’m saying that maybe you could combine your old saber and your new one.’ Kasha said. ‘Just an idea.’ She stretched. ‘You need to stop soon. You’ve been down here for ages already. Come and eat.’

‘I’m fine.’ Kylo said, waving her away. ‘I’ll be up when I’m done.’

‘All right.’ she said turning to go. ‘Don’t forget you’ll need to show Hux how to do that as well, so leave the final construction until he’s caught up.’

‘That’s if Eldrine ever lets him out of her sight.’ Kylo couldn’t help being a little sulky.

‘Eldrine is teaching Hux what he needs to be taught.’ Kasha was grinning. ‘I think you two already know how to do what you’ve been up to.’

‘Except since she got here there hasn’t been time for getting up to, has there?’ Kylo snorted and went back to his components, ignoring Kasha’s laugh as she left the room.

**********

Hux came out of his meditation feeling a little lightheaded.

‘We need food.’ Eldrine was getting up. She held out her hand to him and Hux hesitated only a moment before he took it. ‘Come.’ Her strength was such that she practically lifted him off the floor.

They went up a level to the living area and kitchen. Lendry and Jokhan were there, seated at the table while they ate from a plate of dried sausage, cheese and fruit and conversing in Devaronian. They looked up and smiled and Hux was treated to two smiles that were a little unnerving. He had learned from Lendry that her teeth were not naturally sharp and had in fact been filed. It was considered aesthetically pleasing although Hux could not imagine that it was fun for anyone to encounter those teeth. Unless of course you were Jokhan, whose own fangs were sizeable.

‘How goes the training?’ Lenry asked and Eldrine nodded thoughtfully.

‘He has shown himself to be a quick study.’ she said. ‘And he has a great deal of self-discipline. Far more than you two ever showed.’ Lendry and Jokhan looked at each other and snickered, deep breathy sounds that reminded Hux of canine noises.

‘You trained them?’ he asked and Eldrine snorted.

‘I most certainly did not. Their master passed some time ago.’

‘Her name was Amar Cordin.’ Lendry said. ‘She was Rakatan.’ That surprised Hux.

‘Really?’ He looked at them. ‘I thought the Rakatans could no longer use the Force.’

‘She was most unusual.’ Eldrine said. ‘As a result her parents had her smuggled off planet and she somehow found her way to us. I was only an apprentice then. She was trained by my Master with me and then took Lendry and Jokhan as apprentices. She was close to the Light. If the Order had still been alive, she may well have been a Jedi.' Hux thought he heard something in Eldrine’s tone and then shocked even himself by realising what it was.

‘You were bonded.’ he said. Eldrine nodded.

‘We were, but Amar’s species does not live as long as mine.’ she said. ‘I had to let her go.’

‘Have you all been bonded?’ Hux asked.

‘It’s one of the first principles of being Grey.’ Eldrine said. ‘It is why our order was founded. Jolee Bindo wished to marry his wife and turned his back on the tenets of the Order to do so.’ Her voice was amused. ‘And you and Kylo Ren have already taken the first steps in that direction.’ Hux felt his face heat up. There had been a fair amount of piss-taking after the lights incident.

‘Speaking of which.’ He turned as Kasha came into the kitchen. ‘Your erstwhile lover is busy fighting with his new saber. He needs food and company.’

‘He is not my lover.’ Hux protested and the four women all grinned at him. Nonetheless he found himself making up a plate of food and taking drinks from the cooling unit. ‘One night doesn’t mean anything.’

He walked out the kitchen to the sound of them chuckling and then realised that he hadn’t actually asked Kasha where Kylo was.

_You know how to find him._

Hux sighed. He tentatively let down his walls and reached out. Eldrine had been helping with his communication skills, teaching him how to speak to her without shouting as she called it.

_Ren?_

There was no reply, but there was a feeling of focus and determination that was directed at something else. Hux latched onto it. He tugged gently on the feeling but he couldn’t dislodge Ren’s concentration. He heaved a sigh and then followed it.

It led him down deeper than he’d gone before and along stairs and passageways that were unfamiliar until he got to a door. Hux stood and looked at the keep pad. He didn’t have a code. He looked round back up the stairs. It was a long way back.

_Kasha? Are you there?_

There was nothing, not even feedback. Hux huffed and then looked at the key pad again. He put the plate of food and the drinks cannisters on the floor and then straightened up. He placed one hand to the key pad and thought about what was inside. He knew the basic structure of the unit. The ones on the Finalizer were similar. Hux concentrated as he visualised the inside of the unit, imagining the wires and circuits. He felt something inside his mind, the same tug whenever he used the Force these days, only this one was hot and smelt like solder. Hux wasn’t sure if that was only in his mind, but it seemed real enough. He followed the current that ran through the wiring to the board that controlled the door access and then nudged it gently.

Nothing happened.

‘For kriff’s sake.’ he muttered and tried again. There was still no response and Hux was about to give up when something snagged in his head and he twisted it just so. To his alarm there was a very loud crackle from inside the door control and the smell of electricals burning. Hux was about to swear in frustration when there was a flash of green light as the door lock disengaged. Hux stared at it and then pressed the access panel. The door opened and he let out an involuntary noise of triumph. Then he realised that Kylo was standing in the doorway, a soldering iron in his hand and looking at Hux like he was crazy.

‘What are you doing?’ he asked.

‘I opened the door.’ Hux said, smiling at his achievement even if Kylo wasn’t.

Kylo looked at the now very evidently smoking unit.

‘I think you fried it.’ he said. ‘Kasha’s going to kill you.’ Hux frowned. Then he looked at the soldering iron.

‘What are you doing?’ he asked.

‘Making my lightsaber.’ Kylo replied. ‘Kasha said I’m supposed to show you how to make yours as well.’ He then noticed the covered plate at Hux’s feet and his face lit up. ‘You bought me food?’

‘Don’t get overexcited.’ Hux said. ‘I was told to.’ Kylo was smiling at him and it was bright and unsettling and he could see Kylo’s crooked teeth and suddenly all he wanted to do was kiss him. Kylo crouched down and picked up the plate and Hux did the same with the drinks cannisters. He followed Kylo in and looked at the workshop with clear disapproval.

‘This is a state.’ he said and Kylo hummed agreement, his mouth already full. He chewed and swallowed and nodded at the workbench he was using.

‘It is, but don’t tidy anything. Kasha threatened death if we messed up her system.What do you think?’ he asked and Hux came over to look at the lightsaber he was making. He studied the components and his brain started to tick over as he absently took a piece of cheese from the plate that Kylo was now offering to him. He ate it slowly.

‘It looks like your other one.’ he said and Kylo nodded. He took one of the drinks cannisters from Hux and opened it, taking a long pull.

‘Kasha suggested that.’ he said. ‘I’m having a little trouble with the housing though. Not really my strong suit.’

‘So I see.’ Hux said. He didn’t hide his disapproval. ‘I think a trooper could do a better job than this.’ He picked up the housing Ren had made and stared at it. ‘Do you even know how to solder?’

‘I do.’ Kylo snatched it back from him, his face and voice defensive. ‘But I already said it’s not my strong suit.’

‘This is not so much not your strong suit as it is not your suit at all.’ Hux said and sighed. ‘Give me that.’ He gestured for the soldering iron Kylo had abandoned on the workbench in favour of the food.

‘No.’ Kylo look appalled and Hux had to bite his lip not to snicker at how wide his dark eyes were. It was a very odd look on someone who was supposed to be all-powerful. ‘That would be like cheating.’

‘You’re unbelievable.’ he said. ‘Look, Kasha told you to help me with this right? So it’s not cheating, it's teaching. You can show me how to make one and I can help you fine tune yours.’ He looked at Kylo. ‘Do we have an agreement?’

‘I suppose so.’ Kylo muttered through another mouthful of food.

‘Excellent.’ Hux said. ‘Now explain everything to me. Slowly. And stop hogging the cheese.’


	22. Sabers

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The next step.

Kylo woke with a start. He opened his eyes slowly and looked around him, momentarily disoriented by his surroundings. Then he realised he was under one of the workbenches, lying curled up on a tarpaulin that had been folded in a corner of the workshop, his head cushioned on his arm. He shifted, feeling the hard floor underneath him but not unduly worried. He’d slept in far worse places.

The he felt it.

The Force was moving through and around the figure still perched on the stool at the other workbench, hunched over as he worked. Kylo could hear Hux muttering under his breath but that wasn’t the strangest thing that was happening. The way the power surged and swelled around Hux was like nothing he’d experienced before. He sat up, rubbing his eyes and then stared at the space around him, which was filled with floating components and tools.

‘Hux?’ he said, uncertainty colouring his voice.

‘You’re awake.’ Hux replied. ‘Good. You can come and look at this and tell me what you think.’ He reached out and plucked a tool that was floating past his head from the air. ‘I’m quite pleased with it.’

Kylo got up, his muscles complaining a little from being cramped up underneath the table. He remembered that they had been working late into the night, making a brief stop for more food at some time in the evening. They had sat together for hours while Kylo had explained and then showed Hux the delicate process of building the power unit for his saber. He had eventually succumbed to fatigue, deciding to take a short nap but that had obviously been quite some time ago. He stretched, feeling things pop in his back and shoulders, and then walked across to Hux, taking care to avoid the floating objects.

‘Are you finished?’ he asked. Hux didn’t look at him, far too focused on what he was doing. Kylo scanned the work benches and spied a drinks canister. He lifted his hand and pulled it towards him, thankful that it was still three-quarters full. He took a drink, washing the taste of sleep from his mouth. ‘How long was I asleep?’

‘I am not quite sure.’ Hux replied. ‘I haven’t really been paying attention.’ Seemingly satisfied, he sat back and looked up at Kylo, squinting a little from obvious tiredness. Kylo looked down and then gasped.

The saber that lay in front of Hux was his.

The last Kylo had seen was the internal structure laid out for him to put together and then cover with the external housing. He’d done what Kasha suggested, building a new power unit and focusing chamber that would split the beam from his crystal to create three blades, one which would be the main weapon and another two for the cross guard. But unlike his other one, this saber looked perfect. There was no wiring marring the external housing and the components inside were perfectly placed. It had been Hux’s guidance that had helped him to do this. He’d shown Kylo how to carefully construct the internal emitters to produce the three ports in such a way that it would require no tinkering once it was fully completed. All that had been left to do when he’d gone to sleep was the housing. But now he could see that was completed as well, a magnificent design of such elegance that Kylo was astonished. But then he probably shouldn’t have been considering who had obviously done the workmanship. Hux was nothing if not a perfectionist.

It’s beautiful.’ Kylo said, reaching out briefly to touch the housing. ‘You’ve been doing this all night?’

‘No.’ Hux smiled and Kylo could see pride in it. ‘Look over there.’ He gestured to the workbench on the opposite side and Kylo walked to it, staring down at the near completed saber lying on the bench.

‘You finished yours too?’ He looked back at Hux and then examined the saber, noting the elegant lines and clean precision of the housing. ‘This is incredible. It’s remarkably complex.’

‘I may be an officer, but I trained as a weapons specialist and engineer, Ren.’ Hux said, but Kylo could hear the pleasure in his voice that had come from Kylo’s approval. ‘The principles are fairly easy to comprehend.’

‘Yes, but to reach this level of ability in under a month?’ Kylo shook his head. ‘No, wonder you’re doing this.’ He waved a hand at the floating objects. ‘You’ve built this almost entirely using the Force.’

‘Oh?’ Hux seemed to see the tools and components dancing around him for the first time. ‘Oh.’ There was a clatter as everything fell out of the air and Kylo laughed.

You’re cleaning that up.’ he said, unable to stop smiling. ‘You really have no idea just how much power you have, do you?’

‘None at all.’ Hux was scratching his head and looking around him. ‘Now what?’

‘Well if everything is done, then we can build.’ Kylo said. He walked over to Hux and something in him made him reach for his hands. Hux, he was pleased to note, looked dubious but did not pull away from him. ‘Do you want to do this now? I think you’ve shown that using the Force is not going to be an obstacle.’

‘What do I do?’ Hux asked and Kylo tugged gently at one hand.

‘I’ll show you.’ he said. His whole body was tingling, all his earlier fuzziness evaporating as he channeled the power from Hux and fed it back into him. He moved them so they were standing at the workbench, Hux in front of him. ‘Take out your crystal and put it in position.’ Hux did, taking the pouch off and emptying the crystal into his hand. He laid it carefully in position amongst the other components. ‘Now focus. Feel the way they want to fit together.’ He laid his chin on Hux’s shoulder, their physical proximity making him almost dizzy. ‘Hold out your hands and call it to you. Let the Force guide you, then bring the components together.’

Hux took a deep breath and then extended his hands as Kylo had told him to. He closed his eyes and Kylo felt the surge of power go through them both. He nudged it gently, adjusting the way Hux was using it until it clicked into place. The crystal was first, rising from the workbench to circle lazily in the air. Kylo smiled into Hux’s shoulder.

‘Open your eyes.’ he said and felt the amazement coming from him as he did.

‘Am I doing that?’ he asked and Kylo nodded. He moved his arms, wrapping them around Hux’s waist.

‘You are.’ he said. ‘Do you feel it?’

‘Yes.’ He could hear Hux was smiling. ‘I can feel you too.’

‘Next bit.’ Kylo said. He sent an image into Hux’s head and then the components began to float up off the bench, moving to circle the crystal. They watched as they came together, the power unit and emitter aligning on either side of the crystal, which was now glowing a deep brilliant orange. Kylo felt something inside Hux expand and then he was taking control, the components coming to fit together perfectly with the crystal set in place. The last to come was the housing, the external sections moving to sit over the internal structure, small licks of what looked like orange flame coming from the crystal as they moved into place and then locked. Now complete, the saber came to hang in the air in front of them. Hux inhaled sharply, a sense of wonder flowing through him and making Kylo’s heart beat loudly.

‘Take it.’ he breathed in Hux’s ear. ‘It’s yours.’ Hux laughed, light and happy, a sound Kylo had never heard him make. He reached out, his slender fingers wrapping themselves around the hilt. Now it was complete, Kylo could admire how elegant it was, how perfectly designed. He would have expected nothing less. Hux turned in his arms and his green eyes were sparkling. Kylo tried to resist and then gave it up as a bad joke. He leaned in and kissed him, and Hux did not resist either. Instead he brought one hand up to the back of Kylo’s head and kissed him back.

‘Your turn.’ he said when Kylo let him come up for air. Kylo smiled, and let him go. He walked to the other workbench, trepidation going through him. It wasn’t that he doubted his ability, it was more that this felt momentous.

A new step in his new life and one he would never come back from.

He did the same as he had shown Hux, focusing in on the Force. It was strange. He’d never felt it like this before, so much a part of him. There was a movement behind him and then he felt Hux’s hand on his waist as he moved to stand next to him.

‘Show me.’ he said and it felt like an invocation. Kylo reached up and took the pouch from around his neck. It felt almost as if the crystal inside was pulsing in its eagerness. As soon as he opened the pouch, it floated out into the air. It was glowing, the deep almost black-violet colour lighting up the dim workshop. Kylo pushed very gently and it moved to circle over the other components, then he lifted them up. The crystal drifted into place and the power housing and emitters came in from both sides to enclose it. The side ports attached themselves and then the entire housing came together with a mighty snap that made Hux jump. Kylo felt the power in it as his saber came to float in front of him. He knew he’d never had a weapon like this and never would again. He stood and looked at it, feeling a little overwhelmed, then reached out and took it. There was a sensation of finality when he did and he turned to Hux.

‘Thank you.’ he said and Hux nodded. ‘Moment of truth.’

‘You first I think.’ Hux said with a grin that looked like it was bordering on cheeky. Kylo huffed.

‘Fine.’ he said, knowing already that it would work perfectly. He pressed the ignition and the blade sprang forth. It wasn’t what he’d been expecting to see though and he gasped audibly. The blade was the same deep violet-purple as his crystal had been, but the core was black. He looked at Hux.

‘I think it’s very fitting. Hux said, grinning at him. ‘Matches your soul.’

‘Kriff off.’ Kylo couldn’t stop smiling as he moved it through the air, feeling the perfect balance it had. ‘Now you.’

Hux sighed and held out his own saber, rather like it would bite him if given half a chance. He ignited it and the blade was brilliant. It glowed like the inside of a sun and the first thing Kylo thought of was the mighty destructive power that he’d seen when Starkiller was fired. He looked at the expression on Hux’s face and decided that it was possible the best thing he’d ever seen.

‘See? Matches your hair.’ he said and Hux laughed.

There was no-one in the training room when they got there, dragging their exhausted frames up to find a rather anticlimactic lack of people awaiting them.

‘Blast.’ Hux said. ‘Where are they?’ Kylo reached out and then frowned.

‘They’re sitting in the meadow.’ he said. ‘What are they doing there?’

‘I don’t care.’ Hux said. ‘Well, they can wait now. I am going to bed. I need to sleep.’ Kylo looked hopefully at him and Hux snorted. ‘No. Absolutely not.’

‘But it’s been three days.’ Kylo whined and then mentally corrected himself. ‘Four now, actually.’

‘I do not exist for you to take your sexual frustration out on.’ Hux replied, already starting his march back to their sleeping quarters. ‘Besides Millie is more than likely worried where I am.’

‘Millie is probably asleep.’ Kylo grumbled. His disconsolate tone made Hux look at him and sigh.

‘Come on then.’ he said. ‘If she’s sleeping we can go join her.’

‘Really?’ Kylo perked up instantly. ‘And then maybe later…’

‘Maybe later.’ Hux said. ‘No promises.’

They made their way to Hux’s room and went inside. Millie was indeed asleep, curled up in a patch of sunshine on the sill. She blinked at them twice and then ignored them. Hux put his saber down and then stretched.

‘I need a shower.’ he said. Kylo waited, expectation all over his face. Hux looked at him and smirked. ‘Are you hoping to join me?’ Kylo growled and then he moved, getting Hux around the waist and hauling him off his feet. He carried him into the refresher, Hux struggling and hissing invectives at him. He dumped him on the floor and then turned on the shower.

‘Take your clothes off Hux.’ he ordered and Hux glared at him. He got up, rubbing his arse where he’d been so unceremoniously unloaded.

‘Brute.’ he said. ‘You should treat me with more respect.’ Kylo ignored him, grabbing hold of his shirt and hauling it over his head before he chucked it in the general direction of the doorway. Hux sighed and let him have his way, obediently lifting his feet so Kylo could pull off his boots and long socks. ‘You are like a Rancor in a trading station sometimes.’

‘Shut up.’ Kylo said, starting on Hux’s belt and undoing it. He shoved at his pants and underwear, finally getting them off. ‘Now get in.’

Hux grumbled but got in and Kylo took a moment to admire the slender elegance of his frame, the slope of his pale freckled shoulders. Then he shucked his clothes as quickly as was decent and climbed into the shower behind him, getting as close as possible and getting an indignant huff in response.

‘Do you mind?’ Hux said, trying to evade him, but Kylo wrapped his arms around him. He backed Hux up against the wall of the shower and ducked his head to dampen his hair, flicking it back out of his eyes when it was wet through. When he straightened up he saw Hux galring at him. His hair was darkened to deep red by the water and hanging in his eyes.

‘This is ridiculous.’ he said. ‘Why are we doing this?’

‘You wanted to shower.’ Kylo replied. He corralled Hux in with his arms and looked him up and down. He hadn’t had much of an opportunity to really get a good look at Hux during their encounter and he took his time, appraising eyes running over Hux’s bare skin, the light trail of coopery hair leading from his stomach down to his cock. He was not as slight as Kylo had first thought. His arms and legs were wiry rather than slim, and Kylo could see that there were muscles clearly in play. He ran one hand over Hux’s chest, fingers brushing nipples that were a delicate shade of pink.

‘Ren.’ Hux’s tone was dry. ‘My face is up here.’

Kylo ignored him and kept going. He eventually got to Hux’s cock and stared at it. For all his protests, Hux was already half hard. Kylo grinned and then sank down, stifling a laugh at the look on Hux’s face.

‘Ren.’ he said, his voice not quite shaking. ‘What are you doing? I specifically said not now.’

‘I’ll be quick.’ Kylo replied and then leaned in to nuzzle at Hux’s stomach. He nibbled experimentally at the ridge of Hux’s hip and Hux sighed above him.

‘How did we get here?’ he said, sounding resigned. Kylo looked up at him in bemusement.

‘In general or are you suffering from memory loss?’ he asked. Hux narrowed his eyes at him. Water was now dripping off the end of his nose. Kylo reached up, getting hold of his arm and pulled him down just long enough to lick the next one off, prompting a huff that sounded suspiciously like laughter.

‘I’m not going to get away from this, am I?’ he asked and Kylo looked up at him.

‘Do you want to?’ he asked, his chest tightening a little as it always seemed to these days when he looked at Hux and wondered what this new and terrifying feeling was. Then Hux smiled and it was soft and almost sentimental and most unlike him. He rested the backs of his fingers against Kylo’s cheekbone.

‘No.’ he said. ‘I’m starting to realise I don’t.’ His hand moved to hold Kylo just under the jaw, thumb smoothing over his mouth. Kylo felt a rush of heat go through his chest. He caught the thumb on its next pass, biting gently. Hux swallowed noisily and their eyes locked. Kylo could see that Hux’s pupils were widening with every second. He smiled and took hold of Hux’s cock in one hand and then leaned in and dragged his tongue over the head.

Hux gasped, an actual audible gasp as his eyes widened.

‘Kriff.’ It came out as if yanked from him. ‘Ren…’

Kylo did it again, enjoying the way Hux’s hips jerked towards him. This was something he’d become quite good at, although he’d never associated it with anything quite so pleasurable as Hux’s breathy sounds. He toyed with him, licking lightly and memorising each new sound, every little twitch until Hux was panting above him and his cock was rock hard in Kylo’s hand.

‘You’re surprisingly good at that.’ he breathed and Kylo laughed.

‘I was a Knight of Ren, Hux, not a Jedi.’ he replied. ‘I have had my share of sexual partners. Although if I had known you’d be so amenable I would probably have approached you sooner.’

‘Would you?’ Hux’s voice was deeper, bolder. ‘And what would you have done?’

‘I would have done things differently.’ Kylo stroked as he spoke, and he felt Hux pulse in his hand. He was now completely hard as well, his knees beginning to ache, but he pushed that out of his mind. Physical discomfort was of no mind to him, not when he was on his knees in front of the man whose approval he’d always subconsciously craved. He fixed Hux with a look, and saw Hux’s coppery brows turn down slightly. ‘Approached you as an equal instead of trying to impress you.

‘You wanted me to notice you.’ he said and Kylo laid his free hand against his stomach, feeling the muscles bunch and shift as Hux breathed.

‘I did.’ he said. ‘Since the first time we met.’

‘When you were so unspeakably rude to me.’ Hux asked and the corners of his mouth twitched. ‘You said you were intimidated by me. Are you still?’

‘No.’ Kylo felt like he was being turned inside out, the feelings inside him welling up and threatening to spill over. ‘Now this is all very different.’ He nudged Hux with his nose. ‘Come in my mouth, Hux.’

‘Kriff.’ Hux’s head tipped back, the water streaming down them both. Kylo moved closer, letting Hux’s cock slide into his mouth, the slippery saltiness at the tip making every nerve spark. He kept his pace steady and reached out.

_You like this._

_Yes. Don’t kriffing stop._

Kylo took him deep, concentrating on breathing through his nose. Hux’s cock was a wonderful velvety weight on his tongue and he sucked just hard enough to get a strangled moan.

_Ren…your mouth. I can’t…_

Kylo kept his eyes on him.

_Look at me Hux. Watch me._

Hux forced his eyes open and their gazes locked. He tangled his fingers in Ren’s wet hair.

_You are beautiful._

_Say it. Please._

_Kylo._

Kylo broke the look between them, speeding up and using all his expertise to bring Hux to the brink. He could feel it, like a glaring heat inside him that was flowing out and into Kylo and then back through them both again. He felt it build inside Hux, and his mind was filled with him. Images of blinding brightness, sun off ice, and the cold that burned so brightly. Then it hit and Hux convulsed against him, the acrid taste of him filling Kylo’s mouth. Hux’s orgasm came in a great surge and he felt his own body catch fire and then followed, completely untouched and simply feeding off the emotions from Hux. It was by far one of the strongest climaxes he’d had in recent times and it made him pull off and fall back onto the floor of the shower looking up at Hux in astonished delight. Hux was barely able to keep himself upright, his green eyes glazed over.

‘What was that?’ he panted and Kylo shook his head.

‘I have no idea. It’s never happened to me before.’ He laughed. ‘But I like it.’ He looked down at himself, smears of cum getting washed away by the water. Hux got down to sit next to him on the floor of the shower, smoothing Ren’s hair out of his eyes.

‘I do too.’ he said and Kylo leaned into him, his hands on Hux’s arms as he braced himself against him. ‘But can we please move this to the bed?’ Kylo started laughing again. He managed to get to his feet and then helped Hux up.

They got out and dried each other off. Kylo took the opportunity to towel Hux’s hair until it spiked up, smiling at how different he looked.

‘I can’t quite believe how you managed to keep all your troops in thrall to you, General.’ he said. Hux snorted and then yawned expansively.

‘Sleep, Ren.’ he said, heading for the bed. ‘I am quite ready to collapse at this point.’ Kylo followed him, crawling under the covers and getting a hiss from Hux when he went to wrap himself around him. ‘Your balls are still wet.’

‘They’ll dry soon enough.’ Kylo said into Hux’s neck, turning him so he could drape himself along the line of Hux’s back. He got him around the waist and Hux sighed and let himself be pulled back against Kylo’s chest. He was already on his way, sleepiness enveloping him like a blanket. Kylo settled in, letting it pull him down until his eyes closed of their own accord and he drifted off.

**********

Out in the meadow, the Grey Jedi lay stretched out in various poses of lethargy.

 _This is good. The sun feels particularly warm today._ Sudaka was flat on their back, arms and legs spread for maximum comfort and their eyes closed.

'It is a nice day.' Lendry smiled and tickled Jokhan's nose with the small pink flower she was holding, making Jokhan sneeze. Kasha watched them from where she was sitting with the sun on her back and chuckled. She looked down towards the lake where she could just see Eldrine paddling around in the shallow water, her robe hiked up around muscular thighs. She took a deep breath and looked back at the ziggurat.

'I think we should stay out a little longer.' she said. 'Let them sleep for a while.' There were murmurs of agreement and Kasha closed her eyes.


	23. Two Tribes

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Corvis gets to his destination.

Hux woke up with a face full of hair. He tried to move back to prevent himself being asphyxiated and got a little whine of complaint. He sighed and lay down again, blowing Kylo’s unruly mess of hair out of his face. The sun had started to dip down and he estimated it to be around early evening. It had been so long since his body had moved to a circadian rhythm of any description. The watches on the First Order ships had come and gone regardless of light or which planet they had been orbiting, so it felt a little odd.

It did give him enough light to take in the broad naked expanse of Kylo’s back, his skin dotted with the same dark freckles as his face. Hux admired the way his muscles were shaded and defined by the shadows in the room and ran the tip of one finger over the scar that looped over Kylo’s right shoulder where he’d been injured by the lightsaber the scavenger had turned against him. It was well healed now, a shade or two lighter than the surrounding skin. Hux ran his hand down the length of Kylo’s arm. Kylo shifted position, moving onto his stomach and burying his face in the pillow. Hux smiled, and continued his inspection. It was dawning on him that he was in bed with possibly the most physically attractive man he’d ever been with.

Perhaps it wouldn’t be so bad to take advantage. Just a little.

He let his fingers linger, admiring the defined muscles in Kylo’s back as he ran his hand over him, the startling softness of his skin. It had never occurred to him that softness was a quality he could equate with Kylo, but now he seemed to be made of it. Hux wound a strand of silky dark hair around his forefinger and contemplated his next move. He tugged gently and Kylo mumbled something that sounded suspiciously like a profanity into the pillow. Hux stifled a chuckle and poked his finger in Kylo’s unresisting cheek where he could just see it above the pillow. Kylo made a deep grumbling noise and turned away from him, still fast asleep when Hux prodded at his mind.

He took that as a challenge.

He moved in a little closer and started nosing at Kylo’s shoulder. When that got him no response he kissed softly, expecting Kylo to turn back over and jump on him now he was showing a tiny bit of interest.

Nothing. In fact Kylo had the temerity to actually snore.

Hux narrowed his eyes at him and then decided desperate times called for desperate measures. Then an idea occurred to him, an idea so dastardly that it made him almost squirm. There was one thing in the world Lysander Hux could not deal with and that was being ignored.

The good thing about the bed in his room, Hux had discovered was that it was built for those life forms that had a height advantage. It meant that he could slide down the side of Kylo’s body until he was level with his backside, taking the covers with him. The new vantage point he had meant that Hux could now take a very good look at his objective and was extremely pleased with what he found. Kylo’s upper body was all odd angles and hard muscles and the same was true for his legs. They were long and shapely, powerful thighs and buttocks leading to a deeply dipped lower back which sported the most unlikely pair of dimples.

Hux grinned and leaned in. Kylo radiated heat, almost like a power core, and as Hux got closer he could smell him, a deep almost animal smell. It was far more arousing that he’d thought it would be and suddenly what he was about to do took a different slant than just something to get a reaction out of Kylo.

Hux _wanted_ him. He wanted to open Kylo up and make him pant and growl and writhe underneath him. It was a bit of a revelation to him and he found his breathing getting shorter as he moved to kneel over Kylo, one hand at the small of his back. That was when Kylo moved, and Hux saw him lift his head slightly and felt the tentative tendrils of his mind reaching out for him.

‘Hux?’ His voice was sleep rough and Hux leaned down to kiss each dimple above his backside.

‘Go back to sleep.’ he said and Kylo dropped his head back down. There was a warm feeling coming from him through the Force and Hux recognised what it was and kissed his back, smiling against his skin. He nudged at Kylo’s mind ever so gently, showing him what he wanted to do and that got a sharp inhalation of breath and Kylo moving his legs apart so Hux could fit between them. He dropped his head, breathing in that enticing smell as he ran his hand lower, tracing the line in front of him and feeling Kylo tense as his thumb rubbed over him. Then he leaned in, opening Kylo up so he could taste him.

The feeling that had been lying flickering like the embers of a fire burst into life, and Hux was overwhelmed by the flame and heat. He lowered himself and moved his arm to lie across Kylo’s lower back to hold him down as he licked over him, the musky taste of Kylo’s skin making him hard. Kylo reached out with his left hand, gripping the sheet underneath him so tightly it bunched up, and a deep drawn out breath escaped him.

_Hux…_

It was a barely audible sigh in his head and Hux went deeper, letting his tongue press in just enough to breach the pliant body underneath him. He worked methodically, glancing up every now and then and watching Kylo’s shoulders heave as he panted into the bed. Hux upped his pace. He’d forgotten how much he enjoyed this, the power to render someone helpless with pleasure. The fact that it was Kylo he was doing this too made it all the better.

_Stop being so smug._

Hux did laugh this time, and it came out muffled. He dug his fingers into yielding skin and licked hard and Kylo made a very loud noise.

_I hate you._

_I know._

Hux lifted his head and bit the part of Kylo’s backside that was in nearest reach and Kylo hissed, although he made no move to get away.

_Can I?_

_Yes._

Hux pushed up onto his hands and looked at where the tube of lubricant still lay on the table next to the bed. Kylo looked back over his shoulder at him, his dark eyes full of something Hux had never seen before. Their eyes locked and then Kylo very pointedly looked at the tube.

‘Go on then.’ he said and Hux stared at him.

‘Please tell me you’re not suggesting what I think you’re suggesting?’ he said. Kylo laughed, deep and rich and it went through Hux like a blaster bolt. He extended the hand that had been gripping the sheet and the tube lifted off the table and floated back towards Hux.

‘Easy as that.’ Kylo said and Hux felt an urge to smack him. ‘And you only get to do that later.’ Hux glared at him and snatched the tube out of the air.

‘You’re lucky I’m humouring you.’ he said, getting onto his knees and opening it. The lubricant was chilly on his fingers and he dragged them over Kylo’s entrance, smiling when Kylo squirmed from the cold on his skin.

‘Bastard.’ His head was back down.

‘Careful, Ren.’ Hux couldn’t resist, trailing his fingertips in light circles. ‘I’ll just draw it out.’ He teased, letting the tip of one slide in. ‘But I bet that would only make you harder.’

‘I’m hard enough as it is, so fuck me if you’re going to fuck me or let me get myself off.’ Kylo gritted out and Hux retaliated by sliding the whole finger in and feeling him tense all over. He waited for Kylo to relax a bit and then felt along, stoking gently until he found what he was looking for. Kylo whined and pushed back into his hand and Hux obliged him, easing in a second finger and going a little harder.

‘Who was it?’ he asked, his voice barely recognisable in his arousal. ‘Who was it that taught you to love this?’

‘No-one.’ Kylo replied. ‘I taught myself. I haven’t taken pleasure in this for a long time, but with you it’s so different to what it always was.’ He was up on his elbows now, the muscles in his back and shoulders rippling as he arched and thrust down into the bed. Hux could feel the desire running through him, a brilliant blood red streak. ‘I don’t know what it is that you do to me, but it’s not like anything I’ve had before.’ His words sparked something inside Hux, a possessiveness he’d never thought he was capable of. He pulled his fingers out, using the lube on them to slick himself up. He came in close, his heart pounding. He couldn’t remember the last time he’d been inside someone.

_Do it._

Kylo came back to meet him and the push in was slow and smooth. Hux gritted his teeth and braced himself on his hands either side of Kylo. Kylo had gone quiet, but Hux could feel him and he waited until he’d bottomed out then leaned down and kissed his back.

_Are you all right?_

_Move. Now._

It was demanding and Hux gave in, pulling out part of the way and then slamming back in. Kylo’s cry was harsh and it thrilled him. He set a brutal pace, driving in hard until they were both panting and he could feel the sweat trickling down his back. Kylo was now shifting, moving so he was resting on his elbows with his backside in the air and Hux went with him and took advantage of the increased leverage. He grabbed Kylo by the hips, and the next stroke went so deep it triggered them both. Hux could feel the fires inside his head starting to rage out of control and there was a small series of popping noises as the illumination bulbs overhead blew out one by one. The whole bed started to rattle and shake and Kylo started laughing.

‘Keep going!’ It was almost shouted at him. ‘Don’t stop!’

The orgasm that overtook Hux was so strong it made him shout. All the energy inside him was too much, too hot and too cold and too intense for him to contain, and he threw it out. Millicent yowled and jumped off the sill to take refuge under the table and there was an ear splitting crack as everything from him and Kylo coalesced as they came within seconds of each other. Hux fell forward as Kylo’s body tightened around him, barely able to breathe. The blue fire was back, but this time it was stronger.

‘Kriff…’ Kylo groaned into the bed. ‘I haven’t ever been fucked like that.’ He raised his head and half turned. ‘You’re very good at that, General.’ Hux felt stupidly pleased. He eased back onto his heels, pulling out and then moving to collapse next to Kylo on the bed. Then he noticed the ceiling.

‘Oh kriff.’ He pointed at it and Kylo turned onto his back, sniggering when he saw the massive crack that ran over their heads.

‘At least it wasn’t the viewport.’ he said. Hux stared at him, and then Kylo turned his head and his hazel eyes were alight with mischief and something else that made Hux’s breath catch in his throat. He reached up, stroking the back of his hand along Kylo’s scarred cheek.

‘What have you done to me, Ren?’ he asked and Kylo’s leaned in, kissing him so gently it quite undid him.

‘Just what you have done to me.’ he replied.

*********

The Kyari came down through the atmosphere, the heated winds from the planet below creating landing conditions that were far from hospitable. Corvis flew cautiously, carefully manoeuvring his ship through the worst of it. As they got into the lower levels of the atmosphere, the sunlight became blinding and he adjusted the tint of the Kyari’s viewport. The landscape below them was stark and extraordinarily beautiful, large swathes of deep green jungle punctuated with brilliant blue lakes, many joined by meandering rivers. Next to him, Mosh’s long fingers operated the controls with delicacy. It was always strange coming to Zonama Sekot. Corvis knew that he was only very slightly Force sensitive, certainly not enough to have had any kind of training, but enough to feel the life force of the sentient planet below him. Oluru was the same, one of the reasons they felt so at home here.

They were headed for a structure built out onto the surface of one of the lakes. It was made from the native light stone, a squat structure that stretched out into interconnecting terraces with landing pads, most occupied already by a variety of ships, between the buildings. Corvis brought the Kyari in low to land on an empty one. Oluru’s band of smugglers was friendly with the Ferroans of this area, bringing them intel and trading with them. His mother’s own second in command, Aden Dakke, was Ferroan and had served by her side for many years.

Mosh powered the ship down and Corvis got up. He patted his friend’s shoulder as he passed, a reassurance. Mosh would stay on the ship with Bhutara while he went inside the structure to go speak with his mother and the heads of several other smuggler bands that had gathered to discuss what was happening. He got to the ramp and checked his blaster as he always did and then walked down even as it was lowering. There was no-one to meet him, but Corvis knew they were well aware of his presence.

He walked along the connecting walkway towards the main structure and went inside to find himself in a central room with smaller chambers leading off of it. The light was dim and cool, the only real illumination from a massive domed skylight. There were several Ferroans gathered around and they glanced at him with curiosity. Corvis nodded in greeting and kept walking. He headed for the final chamber on the left and entered through a hanging curtain. The circular room was dominated by a sunken seating area. There were two women there, one dark-skinned like himself, her black hair close cropped. She was dressed like a smuggler, a sizeable blaster on her hip. Her companion was blue skinned like all Ferroans, her golden eyes and white hair a striking contrast with her complexion. She was dressed in a black flight suit, close fitting, and armed with two vibro-knives in thigh sheaths.

‘Mother. Aden.’ he said and Oluru Corvis got up to embrace him as he stepped down into the seating area, then pushed him away from her.

‘Hello Mark.’ she said. ‘You look good.’

‘So do you.’ Corvis ginned at her. He nodded to Aden. ‘Where is everyone else?’

‘There has been a slight change of plans.’ Oluru said. ‘I had a communication a few days ago and thought that it would be of importance to you.’ Her black eyes, identical to his own, were sharp. ‘Apparently you’ve been smuggling something very valuable indeed.’ Corvis straightened up.

‘What have you done?’ he asked her.

‘Offered a chance for us to negotiate on a stronger field.’ Oluru’s eyes were sparkling and Corvis shook his head at her. He recognised that look all too well.

‘Organa.’ he said and Oluru nodded. ‘Have you sold me out to the rebellion, Mother?’

‘Hardly.’ Oluru said. ‘While you and Kasha have been off getting up to stars knows what, I have been keeping my ears open. I heard that there was an altercation on Kubindi, heard that Greys were responsible. Not only that but I also heard that there were two new companions with you. One of whom stopped a blaster bolt in mid-air. Only the Jedi Killer has been rumoured to be able to do that. The other was described as pale man with red hair. Unfortunately, General Hux tends to stand out with that unusual colouring. Now I know that you and my beloved daughter-in-law have been up to something. I know that Kasha has plans for the Rim. And I know that General Hux was last seen flying a shuttle off Starkiller and in the company of one Kylo Ren.’ She finished her little speech and then sat down. Corvis did the same and poured himself out a cup of the golden ale that was on the low table in front of him. He leaned back, crossing his legs and smiling at her over the rim of his cup.

‘I’m impressed.’ he said. ‘You’ve been busy.’

‘Don’t patronise me, Mark.’ Oluru’s voice was stern but with a deep undertone of affection. ‘I didn’t become the head of the Smuggler’s Syndicate by being an imbecile.’ She picked up her own cup. ‘I know what Organa is looking for. It’s the same person you have.’

‘How did you know?’ Corvis asked. ‘About who Ren really is?’

‘Bo-Shek told me.’ Oluru said. ‘He made a little stop on his way home. He wishes to be left out of this.’

‘I am presuming that this is the reason for this little get together then.’ Corvis said. ‘So we can talk to Organa.’

‘Yes.’ Oluru said. ‘She’s in a very delicate position. The Rebellion knows that Kylo Ren and Hux have escaped from the First Order and Snoke. He’s sent out troopers far and wide to try and find them. They are equally keen to get their hands on him as are the New Republic for every obvious reasons. The problem is, of course, that no-one knows…’

‘That he’s her son.’ Corvis finished. ‘Well now, isn’t that interesting?’ He sat forward. ‘So this is just her then, I take it?’

‘That was the agreement.’ Oluru said. ‘She asked me to arrange a meeting. Her spies are everywhere of course and the tale of you and Kasha being in the company of her son got back to her. The only reason you haven’t been located is that Kasha has been keeping him hidden.’

‘And that sounds like it was particularly good move.’ Corvis said. ‘We already have the Hutts on our backs. Now it sounds like we’re wanted by everyone else.’

‘She contacted me directly.’ Oluru said. ‘Through a channel I have no reason to distrust. She appealed to me as a mother, she simply wishes to know where he is.’

‘That is fair enough.’ Corvis said. ‘But what of Hux.’

‘As far as I can tell, the consideration Ren will get will not be forthcoming for him. The New Republic wants him to stand trial and be executed for his crimes against the galaxy.’ Oluru said.

‘That may be difficult.’ Corvis replied. ‘He’s Force sensitive. Eldrine has taken him as her apprentice.’ He grinned at the open look of shock on his mother and Aden’s faces. ‘Not expecting that one were you?’ Besides, he and Ren have an…agreement.’

‘What kind of agreement?’ Oluru asked, frowning. Corvis smiled more broadly and raised his eyebrows at her, seeing the realisation cross her face. It was a rare day he could surprise his mother and he cherished every single one. ‘You’re not saying…’

‘I am.’ he said. ‘They’ve become rather close.’

‘Kriffing stars above.’ Oluru shook her head. ‘That is going to complicate things. I have the feeling Organa is not going to like that one little bit.’

‘That’s the lie of the land.’ Corvis said. ‘They are being inducted into the Order as we speak. They have already started their training and been given Sudaka’s approval. And you know that once Sudaka does or says something, it sticks.’ He sighed. ‘So when is she due.’

‘Any moment now.’ Oluru said. She looked at Aden. ‘I set the time so that you would be here and we could talk first.’ Aden nodded and got up, walking out of the room. Corvis watched her go then turned back to Oluru.

‘Mother.’ he said. ‘This is the first step.’

‘I know.’ Oluru said. ‘I have no intention of handing them over or betraying Kasha, you know better than to think that. But it’s a delicate rope to walk. She simply wants to talk to you. I have made no promises, and I feel that we can trust her.’

‘In that case I will do as you say.’ Corvis said. ‘You are my band commander.’ Oluru smiled. The she looked towards the door.

‘They’re here.’ she said and Corvis turned to look. As the group entered the room, he stood up and casually moved his hand to within reach of his blaster.

Aden was at the head and she stood to one side. Behind her Corvis could see three people. Leia Organa was in front. He was a little surprised by how short she was but then he felt the authority that she presented herself with and realised that stature played no part in her bearing. Her greying hair was done in two braids and wound around the crown of her head and she was dressed in military field gear, a camouflage poncho over her clothes and a blaster on her hip. Her dark eye were clear and forthright as she approached, giving them both a subtle once over before holding out her hand to Oluru.

‘Corvis.’ she said, using the Corellian custom of calling his mother by her family name.

‘Organa.’ Oluru replied, taking her hand and shaking it firmly. ‘You are welcome.’ She turned slightly. ‘You have met my second in command, Aden Dakke. This is my son and one of my trusted lieutenants, Markuz Corvis.’ Leia looked at him again and nodded, then turned to gesture to the men behind her.

‘This is Poe Dameron and Finn.’ she said. ‘Dameron is my pilot and Finn is my protection. As agreed, two only.’

‘As agreed.’ Oluru gestured to the seating. ‘Please.’

They all moved to sit down, and Corvis looked at the two men. The older one was undoubtedly from Yavin, with thick dark hair beginning to curl and a face that seemed made for good humour. Corvis liked the look of him. The other was younger, his dark skin smooth and his black eyes taking everything in. He wore a light jacket in contrast to his dark clothing. He noticed Corvis looking at him and their eyes met. Corvis nodded and he saw the young man’s eyes widen. He leaned in to his companion and whispered something and the other man shook his head. Then he looked at Corvis, who noticed that they were both armed with blasters. That made him wonder, but he kept his face expressionless.

‘Finn was wondering if there are many people like you on Corellia.’ Dameron said.

‘Enough.’ Corvis replied and then smiled. ‘But Corellia is not my home.’

‘But you are from there.’ Finn said. His voice was a little hesitant.

Corvis frowned. He could feel something, something not quite right. He looked at Oluru and saw that she was frowning as well. Right at that moment he wished that Kasha was sitting beside him.  


‘We are from Corellia.’ Oluru said. ‘But we have not lived there since I was a child. My father was a smuggler as was my mother and we have made the galaxy our home.’ Organa and Dameron were watching them closely, curiosity alight on their faces. ‘Mark was raised on freighters and other worlds.’ She looked at Organa. ‘But you are not here to talk about my family, but yours.’ She nodded at Corvis and he moved forward to pour out drinks for them all.

‘Yes.’ Organa said and accepted her cup. ‘I have heard many things. But they all keep coming back to one person.’ She looked at Corvis. Corvis looked at Oluru.

‘You son is no more.’ he said and heard Organa inhale sharply. ‘But Kylo Ren is with us.’ Organa looked away for only a second and when she looked back, her eyes were steely.

‘And Hux?’ she asked.

‘He is with us too.’ Corvis said. ‘They are both well and they are both safe.’

‘They shouldn’t be.’ Dameron said. ‘They should be suffering the same fate they condemned millions to.’ Corvis could hear the righteous anger in his voice.

‘That may be the case.’ Oluru said. ‘But right now they are under the custody of the Grey Jedi.’ Her face was perfectly neutral in the face of the shock on Leia’s face.

‘What do you mean?’ she asked and Oluru smiled. ‘There are no other Jedi. When Ben…when the person who used to be my son killed the apprentices at my brother’s temple, they once again ceased to exist.’

‘The Grey Order has been here a long time.’ Oluru said. ‘No-one but those who have tried to maintain some semblance of order in the Outer Rim have known of their presence. They have kept themselves hidden but they are our Guard of Honour.’ She levelled her dark gaze at Organa. ‘You are not the only royalty in the galaxy.’ Organa met her stare and returned it. ‘You are under ancient sovereignty here.’

‘I am aware of that.’ Leia said. ‘It’s why I chose to meet this way. I would never dream of violating that.’

‘Good.’ Oluru said. ‘Now you know. Your son and Hux are with my son and the Grey Order. They are safe from Snoke and anyone else that would be hunting them.’ There was a slight edge to her voice.

‘Give him to me.’ Leia said, and her voice was just as strong, just as controlled. ‘Both of them. Hux must be brought to justice and Ben belongs with me.’ Corvis huffed in amusement and she turned to look at him and he was momentarily taken aback by the rebuke in it. He realised then that his mother and Leia had obviously gone to the same school of parenting. ‘I don’t see why this is funny?’

‘They are being inducted into the Order.’ Oluru said and now all three faces were a picture of bemusement and shock. ‘They are to be part of the Grey Jedi.’

‘What?’ Finn was looking at Leia. ‘How?’ Leia held up a hand.

‘They must be surrendered to my custody.’ she said. ‘There are expectations…’

‘And none of those are my concern.’ Oluru said.

‘And how can Hux even be a Jedi?’ Finn continued with his outburst.

‘He’s Force-sensitive.’ Corvis said. ‘He has been since birth.’

‘You’re lying.’ Finn seemed to be unravelling. He looked at Leia again. ‘How is this possible?’

‘Force-sensitive or not, training or not they must be handed over.’ Leia said. Corvis sighed and looked at Oluru. Oluru didn't look at him, but Corvis saw the twitch in the muscle of her jaw.

‘That will not be happening.’ she said.


	24. Negotiations

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A serious discussion.
> 
> All credit for the very last scene goes to the wonderful viella-art who thought it would be hilarious if this happened. I am inclined to agree with her!
> 
> Also thank you to the Copper River for the beta read and sounding board XD

‘Well.’ Oluru said. ‘It would appear we are at an impasse.’ She gave Corvis a look. ‘Why don’t you and Aden give Dameron and Finn the grand tour?’ Corvis frowned and her face set in her ‘no arguments’ look. Next to Leia, Dameron was looking at her with the same concern on his face.

‘It’s all right.’ Leia said eventually. ‘Go.’ Corvis stood and followed Aden from the seating area. After a moment’s hesitation, they also stood and followed him and Aden from the room. Leia watched them until the curtain fell back. Oluru was astonished to see in that moment how her shoulders hunched and her face seemed to crumple as she breathed harshly, like she was in physical agony. She felt compelled to reach out, a hand on the shoulder of the woman whose seeming arrogance from a moment earlier was rapidly disintegrating and being replaced with a pain that tore at Oluru’s heart. They sat like that a moment, until Leia’s breathing regulated and she raised her head.

‘I am sorry.’ she said and she sounded a thousand years older. ‘I did not mean to sound like I was issuing ultimatums. But it has been hard.’

‘That I understand more than you know.’ Oluru replied. ‘I knew Han. Not as intimately as some but our paths crossed many times. He was a good man, a strong man. I cannot begin to imagine what his death has done to you.’ Leia met her eyes and took in a deep breath.

‘Some days when I am completely numb. Those are the good ones.’ she said. ‘Others I am so angry that I can barely speak to anybody. Which in my position makes things rather difficult, I am sure you can understand.’ She looked away. ‘I spend all my time being strong for everyone else around me that sometimes I forget that I have to be strong for myself. Those are the days when I wish I could go back and undo everything that has passed.’

‘If we only had that power.’ Oluru said. Her own face was grave. ‘I understand that he is your son. And I took no offence at what you said. I can recognise the desperation of a mother who has lost that which she held dearest.’

‘He’s all I have left now.’ Leia said. ‘My brother is in exile and my…’ She trailed off. Then she steeled herself. ‘Even if he’s a monster, he’s still my son.’

‘I appreciate that.’ Oluru said. ‘But you lost him a long time ago.’

‘I did.’ Leia said. She drained her cup and Oluru reached for the jug and refilled it. ‘I sometimes think it would be easier if he had died.’ She put her hand to her face. ‘That is an awful thing for a mother to say.’  
‘No.’ Oluru replied. ‘The alternative sometimes justifies feeling that way.’ She sat back and Leia gave her a look, her face settling into an expression of realisation.

‘You lost a child.’ she said and Oluru gave her half-smile, tinged with sadness.

‘Mark’s father was killed during the years following the collapse of the Empire.’ She said. ‘Mark was just a child then. I grieved for him a long time, but I eventually found someone else to love. When I fell pregnant, Mark was already a young man and going on his own runs. I knew that having a child was probably not the best idea, but I didn’t care. I wanted him.’ Oluru smiled. ‘Sadly his father didn’t agree with me and he took off for greener pastures.’

‘What happened?’ Leia asked.

‘There was a raid on a smuggler’s camp. A raid by the Hutts.’ Oluru said. ‘He was taken.’ She shrugged. ‘It was a very long time ago. He was only two.’

‘And you never found out what happened to him?’ Leia asked. Oluru shook her head.

‘No. Never.’ she said. ‘This is why I agreed to this meeting. If someone gave me the opportunity to find out what happened to my boy, I would move planets to do so. I also know how it destroys you, the uncertainty. It’s why I can understand your frustration and your need to know. It’s why you want him back so badly. It’s why we’ve told you that he is safe and being looked after.’

‘And I am so very grateful for that.’ Leia said. She sighed and bowed her head. ‘But you know that the Republic will want his head. Hux’s too. If I can get to them before they do, maybe I can save him.’

Her voice as low, heavy with resignation. ‘If not, they will execute them both.’ She looked up. ‘All my influence will mean nothing.’ She tightened her hands into fists. ‘I can’t let them take him.’

‘I understand.’ Oluru said. ‘But I fear that even if we gave him into your custody, he would still not be safe.’ She placed her hand over Leia’s. ‘Trust me when I say that the Grey Order will not let anything happen to either of them.’

‘Hux can rot.’ Leia looked up, fire sparking in her brown eyes. ‘He’s murderer and a war criminal.’

‘He’s also your son’s lover.’ Oluru said and Leia’s eyes widened.

‘What?’ she asked and Oluru nodded.

‘Mark told me.’ she said. ‘And I am telling you. And I think that if he comes to harm, any hope of your son coming quietly will be dashed.’ She squeezed Leia’s hand.

‘This is too much.’ Leia shook her head.

‘Let me deal with it.’ Oluru said. ‘There are other forces at work here. Things which are bigger than the picture you currently have. I have given you my assurance and the assurance of those watching Ren that he will be safe for the time being. But you will have to trust me as I have trusted you and believe that there is something that has to be done and once it is, you will see your son. You have my word on that.’ Leia looked at her steadily. Then she squeezed back.

‘Thank you.’ she said.

***********

‘You don’t speak.’ Finn said and Corvis frowned. They were outside on the walkway leading to the Kyari. After a little hesitation and mutual distrust on both sides, Corvis had decided they needed to take a walk. Aden was with them and she now was looking steadily at Finn. Then she turned and her hands moved in a graceful pattern. Corvis nodded to her.

‘When she was young, a cartel of slavers raided her settlement.’ he said. ‘Aden was taken to be a pleasure slave. Her captors cut out her tongue.’ Finn’s expression changed to one of horror.

‘That is…I don’t actually know what to say.’ he said.

‘Yeah.’ Corvis said. He leaned against the railing and studied the young man. ‘The First Order is not the newest horror in the galaxy. The Outer Rim is home to people who have been terrorising its systems for centuries.’ He gave Dameron an appraising look. ‘So you’re a pilot?’

‘Yes.’ Dameron was staring up at the Kyari. ‘She’s yours?’

‘She is.’ Corvis didn’t bother keeping the pride out of his voice.

‘She’s a YT-2000?’ Dameron looked at him. ‘Unusual. Where did you get her?’

‘I know a guy.’ Corvis grinned. ‘He specialises in hard to find stuff.’

‘Really?’ Dameron’s smile was sharp when he turned to face Corvis. ‘What does he know about X-wings?’

‘Plenty.’ Corvis pushed off the railing and went to stand next to him. Dameron pointed up at the Kyari’s hull.

‘You’ve modified her thrusters.’ he said. ‘And her guns.’

‘Yeah.’ Corvis grinned. ‘I am of the opnion that you can always improve on designs.’

‘Poe’s X-wing is modified.’ Fin said and Corvis looked at him.

‘Is that so?’ He looked at Dameron. ‘What’s she got?’

‘A few things.’ Dameron said. He looked back at the Kyari. ‘I wouldn’t mind a look.’ Corvis chuckled.

‘Be my guest.’ he said and reached for his communicator.

**********

‘Who knows you have been here?’ Oluru asked and Leia looked at her.

‘No-one.’ She replied. ‘I took your warning about discretion carefully.’

‘There are things in motion.’ Oluru said. ‘Things I cannot tell you. All I can say is that the Grey Order believes your son to be a very significant part of those things. It’s one of the reasons they engineered their meeting.’

‘Engineered how?’ Leia asked.

‘Sudaka Jokk is the head of their Order.’ Oluru said. ‘They are a very old and very powerful Jedi. They have been having visions of all that has come to pass, including the destruction of the Hosnian System.’

‘If this person knew then why did they not warn us?’ Leia asked. Oluru shook her head.

‘You would not have listened. Imagine if we had come to you and told you. Would any of the Council had taken us seriously?’

‘No.’ Leia admitted. ‘But I would have. I know what it is to be directed by the Force.’

‘That is true which is why you also know that what I am saying is correct.’ Oluru countered. ‘That is not the only reason that we have not come to the Rebellion. Suaka’s vision has told them that Kylo is going to be instrumental in Snoke’s destruction, that he will turn against his former Master and remove him from this world.’

‘Jedi visions are notoriously unreliable though.’ Leia said. ‘You cannot know that this will happen.’

‘You are right. There are other things that Sudaka has seen that have not come to pass. But we cannot take the chance of that happening.’ Oluru said. ‘The agreement between Hux and Kasha, Mark’s wife and Sudaka’s apprentice, was put into place a very long time ago, right at the beginning of the construction of Star Killer base. And yes, we may have enabled the deaths of millions of people but we are saving the lives of billions across the galaxy by doing so. You will have to believe that, just as we do.’

‘I understand.’ Leia said. ‘But I cannot guarantee that the Rebellion or the Republic will. They want justice and they cannot be blamed for that. I have no doubt that they will throw significant resources into retrieving them both.’

‘Another reason I asked for your discretion.’ Oluru said. ‘My familiar are already being hunted and are well used to evading capture. The Hutts have had us marked for assassination for decades. Kasha’s bounty is now big enough to buy a small planet, but the bounty for your son’s head is fast approaching that level, as well as that being offered for General Starkiller. They are safest where they are for now.’

‘And once they are done with what they are required to do?’ Leia asked.

‘You will see your son. If he agrees.’ Oluru said. ‘I will not force him to do anything against his will.’

‘And Hux?’ Leia asked, her eyes flicking away. Oluru could see that the revelation of her son’s relationship was eating away at her, even if she was managing to hide it.

‘He will be making up for what he has done, you can be assured of that.’ she said. ‘And once Kylo’s mission is fulfilled, they will both be instrumental in bringing about the end of the First Order.’ She stood and so did Leia, then spat into her hand and held it out. ‘Do we have an accord, General Organa?’

Leia did the same and shook her hand, sealing their agreement in the time honoured tradition.

‘You have my word.’ She said. ‘I will leave my son and Hux with the Grey Order as you request. I will also do my part to minimise the search for them, if I am able to.’

‘Thank you.’ Oluru said.

***********

‘She’s beautiful.’ Dameron ran a hand along the Kyari’s bulkhead. They were in the corridor between the loading ramp and the crew corridor.

‘She is.’ Corvis was smiling. The man’s enthusiasm when he’d come on board was genuine and appreciated. 'Would you like to see her hyperdrive engines?’

‘Yes.’ Dameron turned to him. ‘Lead the way.’

They started to walk towards the engine room, but a deep rumbling growl stopped them in their tracks, both Finn and Dameron looking at each other and then at Corvis, who grinned. He knelt down and waited for D’Jell to come padding down the corridor and come to him as she always did. To his amazement though, as soon as she came into view, she broke into a bounding run and went straight past him, leaping through the air and knocking Finn right off his feet, her giant paws wrapping around the young man’s shoulders as they went arse over tit and landed on the deck. Finn let out a blood-curdling yell and Dameron was instantly on him, blaster drawn.

‘Finn!’ he shouted, and Corvis wasted no time in jumping to his feet and grabbing for the blaster. Thankfully he took Dameron by surprise and then they both stopped as the deep growl changed to a purr that sounded like a sub-light engine. Finn was flat on his back, the sand panther draped over him and pinning him down as she washed his face with her rough pink tongue. He cracked one eye open and seemed to realise that the panther was not hurting in, and winced as she dragged her tongue across his nose. He gave them a helpless look.

‘A little help here?’ he asked.

Corvis could only stand and stare. An image popped into his head, a memory long buried because it was too painful to confront. A little boy, sturdily built and smiling, lying sleeping on his bed with D’Jell curled protectively around him.

‘Ayande.’ It came out low and shaking. Dameron turned and looked at him, his sharp brown eyes bright.

‘What did you just say?’ he asked.

‘Nothing.’ Corvis shook himself out of it. He walked over to where Finn and D’Jell were lying and tugged at her scruff. ‘Come on you silly girl, let him up.’ He smiled apologetically at Finn. ‘She’s a little overenthusiastic.’ D’Jell finally got off and he offered his hand to Finn. The young man took it and Corvis hauled him to his feet.

_Mark! Carry me!_

_Little hands held up for him. The solid weight of his brother on his shoulders. His anguish when he was taken._

His name had come from his father’s family, but Oluru had named his little brother for hers. At seventeen he hadn’t been overly impressed with the idea of a little brother, only half related to him in blood. But then Ayande had been born and Corvis had taken one look at the scrunched up little face and that had been it. He’d doted on Ayande.

Finn frowned as he realised that Corvis was not letting go of his hand. Their eyes met and Corvis saw confusion and hesitation. He let go and Finn stepped back.

‘Are you all right?’ he asked and Finn nodded, brushing hair off his shirt. D’jell was not to be thwarted though. She went back to him, rubbing herself along Finn’s legs, purring loudly.

‘She’s very…friendly.’ Finn said and Corvis smiled.

‘She likes you.’ he replied. ‘You’re lucky. She doesn’t normally take o people so quickly.’ A feeling that he hadn’t felt in the longest time was starting to fill his chest, making it hard to even think straight. ‘Sand panthers are an extraordinary good judge of character.’ Finn gave him a shy smile and then patted D’jell’s head tentatively. D’Jell purred even louder and shoved her head under his hand when he stopped, demanding that he continue. He stroked her head and Corvis felt that strange tug inside him again.

‘What’s your deal, Finn?’ he asked. Finn looked up at him, a flicker of suspicion on his face. Dameron noticed and stepped in.

‘Finn’s a defector.’ he said. ‘He was a trooper until he figured out that the First Order is run by a bunch of scumbags.’ That little tug in Corvis’ head became stronger.

‘You were a trooper?’ he asked.

‘Ground force.’ Finn replied. ‘But on my first mission I had to watch Kylo ren destroy and slaughter an entire settlement because he was having a bad day. I lost a good friend that night. It changed my perspective.’ He sounded angry and Corvis could completely understand why. ‘And now you lot are playing nice with him.’

‘You’re right.’ he replied. ‘We are. But’s it’s not because we don’t condemn his actions, because we do. But we also know that there’s only one way to get rid of the thing that calls himself the Supreme Leader, and that’s to use Kylo Ren against him. You’re young, Finn. When you’re older, you’ll see that sometimes compromising on principles is what keeps you alive.’

‘You’re a smuggler.’ Finn said. ‘I would expect you to say something like that.’

‘Yes, I am a smuggler.’ Corvis said. ‘I flout legislation and do some very illegal things. But I also believe in freedom and justice for ALL people in the galaxy, not just those that the Republic or Rebellion chooses to let its benediction fall on.’

‘The republic has done a great deal to help the Outer Rim.’ Dameron said and Corvis snorted.

‘Has it?’ he asked. ‘Then tell me why only htree weeks ago I had to save twenty girls between ten and seventeen from a Hutt slave transport. Do you know where they were going? They were headed for Lothal. You know what that means right? You had a cell on Lothal, but they never once took on the slave trade there.’

‘There were other concerns.’ Dameron said. ‘It’s hard to be everywhere at once.’

‘Exactly.’ Corvis said. ‘It’s even harder when the urgency is decided by people who have no stake in what you’re fighting for. The republic is far removed from here and wealthy enough to ignore the planets in our systems.’ Dameron sighed.

‘It’s not perfect, but we are trying to make things better.’ he said.

‘I know.’ Corvis said, and put his hand on Dameron’s shoulder. ‘So are we.’

‘Corvis?’ Oluru’s voice came through his communicator. ‘The General and I have concluded our talks. Please could you bring her escort down?’

‘On my way.’ he replied and then stuck the communicator back in his pocket. ‘Looks our business here has been concluded.’ He smiled at Finn, who was still stroking D’Jell. ‘I’d let you take her with you, but I’m a kind of attached to her. She’s been with me since I was sixteen.’ He waited for Finn to look at him. ‘The funny things is that she was devited to my little brother as well. Maybe she looks at you and sees him, or at least who he might have grown to be.’

‘Where is he?’ Finn asked, frowning.

‘He was taken by a Hutt slaving raid when he was two years old.’ Corvis said. ‘I searched for him for four years. Then I had to come to the conclusion that he was either dead or beyond my reach. Since then I have tried to make sure that other kids don’t suffer the same fate, as far as I have been able. But that’s another story for another time. When you’re next in the neighbourhood I’ll by you both an ale and tell you.’

‘I think that we would like that.’ Dameron said, holding out his hand. ‘It’s been interesting, Corvis.’

‘Likewise.’ Corvis said.

They made their way out after Finn had (seemingly quite reluctantly) pulled himself away from D’Jell and went back down onto the landing pad. Oluru and Leia were waiting for them. Corvis could immediately see that it had been a successful meeting. Oluru was relaxed and smiling and so was the General.

They said their goodbyes and Corvis watched as they walked off.

‘You’ve reached an agreement.’ he said.

‘Organa will keep out of our way until Kasha and Kylo have dealt with Snoke.’ Oluru said. ‘Then I have promised her she can see him if he agrees to it.’

‘And just how are you going to accomplish that?’ Corvis asked.

‘That I am leaving entirely in your hands.’ Oluru smiled. ‘As my trusted lieutenant.’

‘Oh, thank you very much.’ Corvis smiled back. Then he grew serious. ‘You felt it.’

‘A little.’ Oluru said. ‘But this is nothing to get our hopes up about. How many times have we thought we’ve found him, only to have it turn to nothing.’ She sighed. ‘The truth is that Ayane has probably been dead for a very long time. We would have found some trace otherwise.’

‘He was a trooper.’ Corvis said. ‘Did Organa tell you that? He defected from the First Order. If Ayande had been sold into their programme, we would never have been able to track him.’ He took a deep breath. ‘And D’Jell took quite a liking to him.’

‘That could be nothing but co-incidence.’ Oluru said. ‘And even if this turned into something, what would we do about it?’

‘I don’t know.’ Corvis said. They both looked up as the General’s transport took off from a neighbouring pad and flew overhead. ‘But maybe we should look into it.’

**********

‘AAAAAAAARRGH!’

Hux narrowed his eyes and grinned maniacally. He was having far more fun than could possibly be good for him.

‘Come on.’ he said, making it sound as insulting as possible. ‘Can’t you do any better than that?’

‘I AM NOT ALLOWED TO BLOODY HURT YOU!’ Kylo roared and charged. Hux sidestepped neatly and gave him another hefty whack with the training saber, the electronic shock it administered making Kylo yelp. Hux found himself unable to resist something that sounded like a cackle.

‘You’re making stupid mistakes.’ he said and Kylo glared at him, raising his hand.

‘No!’ Kasha admonished. ‘No Force use. That was the rule.’

‘This is stupid.’ Kylo raged, barely able to stop himself from screaming in frustration. ‘I’m not allowed to hit him back, not allowed to use the Force. What am I kriffing allowed to do?’

‘You’re trying to learn some kriffing control.’ Kasha retorted. ‘Juyo is about managing your emotions, making use of them while never letting them dominate you. Again!’

Kylo huffed and blew his sweaty haor out of his eyes, taking up the stance to begin the duel again. Hux copied his actions, the thrill of giving Kylo Ren a sound beating making him almost giddy.  
‘All the times.’ he said. ‘All the kriffing times you cut up a console, or choked one of my officers.’

‘You’re being petty.’ Kylo snapped in reply and Hux laughed.

‘I’m getting my own back. Do you have any idea how many migraines your antics caused me? How many times I had to work double or triple watches just to fix the kriff-ups you left behind. The kind of gross financial fraud I had to perpetuate because you almost bankrupted us. YOU ARE A MENACE!’

Kylo made a noise like rutting Rancor and ran at him, lightsaber raised. Hux waited until he was too close to change his direction then bent and shouldered him in the stomach, simultaneously knocking the wind out of him and then lifting up so Kylo flew over his head and landed in a heap on the training room mat. The lightsabre he was using described a graceful arc into Hux’s waiting hand, landing with a very satisfying smack.

‘Goodness me.’ Eldrine rumbled. ‘It would appear that my apprentice is beating the kriff out of your apprentice.’ She sounded positively smug.

‘Only because I can’t hurt him back.’ Kylo groaned in protest, still face down in the mat. ‘Just you wait.’

‘Oh, I am shaking in my boots.’ Hux felt like dancing around his prone form. ‘Let me tell you about the time a group of Year Eights decided to beat the crap out of me in an empty gymnasium. Now get up and fight.’

‘No.’ Kylo was sulkier than Hux had ever heard him. ‘I give up.’

‘You can’t give up.’ Kasha said. ‘Now get your whiny arse off the floor and start again.’

‘I hate you all.’ Kylo muttered.


	25. Foretelling

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A vision of the future comes.

_Flowing through all, there is balance_  
_There is no peace without a passion to create_  
_There is no passion without peace to guide_  
_Knowledge stagnates without the strength to act_  
_Power blinds without the serenity to see_  
_There is freedom in life_  
_There is purpose in death_  
_The Force is all things and I am the Force_

Kylo sat and repeated the mantra, again and again as he meditated. Kasha had taught it to him and the repetition of it had ingrained it into his mind. He knew the Jedi Code but hadn’t thought of it in years and this new mentality he was being asked to embrace held a symmetry that he realised he’d never seen in that other code, the one Luke had had him intone daily in an attempt to calm the anger inside him.

 _Good_. Kasha’s voice was soothing. _I can feel how calm you are. Now you try._

Kylo opened his eyes and extended his hand, letting the Force flow through him. The candle in front of him sputtered and then lit. He looked at Kasha and saw her amber eyes were shining with approval.

 _Excellent._ She waved her hand and extinguished it. _Again._

Kylo blew his hair out of his eyes and focused again. They had been doing this for at least two hours already, the lighting of the candle a work in progress. It wasn’t using Force fire which required him to create it out of nothing. Rather it was using the Force to heat the wick enough to get it to ignite, but this was still tricky nonetheless. Kasha had explained that it required a particularly fined tuned use of the Force which would help with his control. They had been working on his control for four days already, and strangely enough having the living shit beaten out of him by Hux in the afternoons seemed to be helping. Kylo was honestly too bruised and achy to do anything other than follow instructions and that morning he’d finally lit the candle. It seemed that it was a knack more than anything else and now that he had it, it was proving easier and easier to do.

There was also the fact that he and Hux had continued with what the others were referring to with a series of wicked grins as their ‘nocturnal activities’. Kylo had never expected it to have the effect that it had but he felt happier and calmer than he had in years and Hux was very amenable, in spite of his protestations, to let Kylo take out his frustrations out on him. It had certainly helped his concentration, and Kylo felt like his powers were coming back in strength. One of the things that had always bothered him by being Snoke’s creature was how he’d always felt a little like his powers were being siphoned off in a way, used by Snoke to bolster his own. He’d known that even with that he was more powerful than most others he encountered, but here with the Grey Order he was able to use all his potential and it was surprising how much sharper he felt when he was not dulled by anger.

The flame flickered again into life and Kasha smiled.

‘I think that is enough for today.’ she said, breaking their telepathic bond. ‘You are coming along quickly.’

‘I learned quickly when I was a Paduwan.’ Kylo replied, stretching to get the kinks out of his neck. He waved his hand, letting the Force extinguish the flame and then followed her as she got up off the mats.

‘I think we need some air.’ Kasha said. ‘And we can check on how Hux is doing.’ Eldrine had him outside on the landing area practising his telekinesis, an enterprise that was proving to be rather hazardous. Kylo chuckled.

‘I wonder if he’s managed to break anything yet.’ he said and Kasha grinned. Telekinesis was currently proving rather difficult for Hux, his linear mind having a little trouble grasping the concept and so also being unable to physically grasp the objects he was supposed to be moving. When he did manage to move something, he had a tendency to overdo it and the day before had sent a training ball whizzing around the room at high speed until it had hit Eldrine in the head. Thankfully Eldrine’s species had a particularly thick skull structure and aside from being a little dazed she was not too worse for wear.

They left the training room and headed up to the surface. The sun was bright and they climbed the tower to sit in the sun at the top, the place Kasha now took him to rest and enjoy the fresh air and tell him about the Order. After so many vagaries when he was a Paduwan, Kylo ate up the stories of the original Grey Jedi and how they came to be.

‘Tell me more about the ranks.’ he said, once they had settled in. Far below on the other side, Kylo could see Hux and Eldrine training. He felt a comforting little flicker inside him at the sight of Hux.

‘You and Hux are now both Teidowan.’ she replied. ‘It’s a rather unorthodox way we are doing things with you but needs must. Usually a Teidowan is trained by a Master once their powers manifest. Mara took me to Sudaka when I was eleven and even then they considered me a little older than I should have been. There are no classes, only the bond between Master and Apprentice. Our bond is one of exceptional closeness and we spent every year together until I was twenty-one and I could take my trials. Once those were completed I became a Grey and I was allowed to start my studies. I wish to follow Sudaka and study the way of the Fire Warriors once I have attained the rank required. A few years later I took my second set of trials and became a Koawan which is what I am now. Technically there should have been more time to allow me to attain the rank of Silver in order to take on apprentices, but I was excused from doing that because of your unique situation.’

‘And Eldrine?’ Kylo looked down and smiled as he saw the Master narrowly duck a flying missile.

‘She is a Maenowan.’ Kasha said. ‘She is a Jedi Master and so her right to take an apprentice is above reproach. She is also a member of the Ice Mages and a very well respected member of our Order. Sudaka is a Grey Master and one of the Elders of our Order. They have served on the Council and as Kage for one term. I was extremely fortunate to be paired with them for my training.’

‘How many are there of us?’ Kylo said and Kasha smiled.

‘Us?’ she asked. Kylo huffed and stared down at his feet, an old habit when he was embarrassed.

‘Well, you’ve just said we’re included.’ he replied and she nodded.

‘I suppose it’s just nice to hear you say it.’ she said. ‘And the answer to your question is that I don’t honestly know. We are trained to hide in the shadows, which is why we very seldom come together in any great number. Masking our Force signatures and knowing our way around the places that will offer us a place to lie low is what has protected us from those that hunt us. Including you, Jedi Killer.’ She leaned in and bumped him with her shoulder. ‘Pity you’re so shit at it.’

‘I was never taught to hide.’ Kylo protested. ‘I have never needed to.’ Kasha laughed.

‘You’ll learn.’ she said. ‘We all had to go through the same thing and we all continue to learn even when we becomes Masters.’ She smiled. ‘Maybe one day you will become one and be able to return to the ancient temple.’

‘Is that why Corvis and Oluru have such strong ties with Zonama Sekot?’ Kylo asked and she nodded.

‘Oluru’s clan has always collaborated with the Greys. Her great grandmother was clan leader when Sudaka became a Maenowan.’ Kasha said. ‘Then the empire and your grandfather came and we lost a great many of the Order. Having said that we were luckier than the Jedi who were all but exterminated. There were enough of us left to keep the ways of our kind going but we had to hide. The hyperdrive on Zonama Sekot assisted in taking us to faraway places where we could recruit and train in secrecy and then return to work in the Outer Rim. Most of the time we work alone, but we prize out connections above all else and so we form these bonds between us.’ She nodded down at Hux. ‘You and Hux are already forming your own.’ There was something in her voice and Kylo tilted his head, looking at her expectantly.

‘Are you going to tell me what you’re thinking?’ he asked. ‘I’d rather I didn’t have to go looking.’

‘You will be separated.’ Kasha said and he inhaled sharply. ‘You have different paths to walk.’ She looked at him meaningfully. It only took a moment for Kylo to understand.

‘Snoke.’ he said.

‘He is your trial, Kylo.’ Kasha said. ‘He’s the yoke you have to throw off in order to become one of us, to become Grey. Hux will have his own.’

‘It would be too dangerous for him to go with me.’ Kylo watched the two figures below. ‘Before I wouldn’t have thought twice about it, but now…’

‘Now your dynamic is different.’ Kasha said. ‘Now, you have something to lose, something you value.’

‘Yes.’ Kylo said. ‘I can understand that. Taking him with me would make both of us vulnerable.’

‘Not only that, but I can guarantee right now that the Republic and the Rebellion would not think twice about executing him for his crimes.’ Kasha said. ‘He needs to be hidden for a while, somewhere he cannot be found until Eldrine can test him. The good thing is that, like you, he’s learning quickly.’

‘I want him to be safe.’ Kylo said and the stopped astonished as a new sharp edged pain set up camp in his chest at the thought of anything happening to Hux. It was unlike anything he’d felt before, like someone had inserted a very sharp blade between his ribs. Kasha winced and put her hand on his arm, squeezing gently.

‘That is why he must go.’ she said. ‘So you won’t lose him. Not when you’ve just realised what he means to you.’ She looked out and her face became a little distant. ‘Sudaka was disappointed I never fell in love with one of us. That was what they wanted for me. But I met Corvis and somewhere between both of us trying to get one over on each other and screaming at each other, we fell in love and I realised that I would never be free from fear ever again. When you give yourself to someone else, there are so many things that can hurt you.’

‘Is it worth it?’ Kylo asked. When Kasha looked at him, he glanced away. ‘I have never been in love before.’

‘Neither has he, I think.’ Kasha said. ‘You are both so scared of giving up control and letting someone else in so this will be harder for you than it is for most. But yes, it’s worth it.’ She smiled. ‘It’s the most wonderful thing that can happen to you if you let it. He’ll make you stronger just like you will him. But he could also be used against you and that is something you’ll have to reconcile within yourself. We could fail and you could fall again. You might be the one to harm him or kill him. It could be the other way around.’ She sighed. ‘Only you can decide that, but remember that once a Force bond is forged it cannot be broken. It is not something to be gone into lightly. You two are taking the preliminary steps. You’ll have to decide whether or not to follow through.’

Kylo leaned back against the black stone and sighed. Everything was so much more complicated.

***********

Down below, Hux couldn’t resist a quick look up at the two figures seated in the tower.

‘Focus, Hux.’ Eldrine said, but her voice was kind. ‘You will get to speak to him soon enough.’

Hux nodded and brought himself back in line. All his Academy training was kicking back in and it was getting easier and easier for him to shut everything out and concentrate on what he was learning. Eldrine had wanted to bring him in line with the others and that meant starting with the three basic principles – telepathy, telekinesis and Force sense. Force sense proved to be the easiest and he was now able to use it with ease, mostly because he had been doing it all along without recognising it. His gut instinct that he relied on was more or less simply him tapping into the use of Force sense, picking up on the feelings of others around him. Telepathy was going swimmingly as well, and he and Kylo had taken to only talking using it when they were alone together, ostensibly to practice but really because Kylo had a habit of now blurting out filthy things he wanted to do to Hux when they were alone and Hux thought it safer if he didn’t say it aloud. The others had given their solemn promise not to eavesdrop so that made him feel a little bit better.

The telekinesis on the other hand, well…that left a lot to be desired.

Kylo had likened it to those odd visual puzzles that children had, where they could look at blobs of colour that would resolve themselves into a picture once your eyes got into alignment. Hus had only played strategy games as a child and had no clue what he was talking about, so that as no help. Eldrine had tried, likening it to a flux capacitor and the need for only the perfect amount of energy to be used. Too little and there was no effect, too much and the object he was trying to move would take off like it had been fired from an ion cannon.

Which was precisely what was happening today.

He watched enviously as Eldrine brought the training ball back with a casual gesture, effortlessly graceful. Now that he was more attuned to the Force, Hux could feel how easily she wielded it and he was frustrated by his inability to do the same. Thankfully one of the trademarks of being a Hux and dealing with Kylo Ren for the past six years was the ability to contain his anger and frustration and channel it into pure productivity.

Eldrine set the ball floating in the air. She was trying to get him to simply nudge it along so it would float the length of the open area next to the tower. Hux extended his hand and focused, pulling together the silvery threads of energy he now knew was the Force. It was getting easier each time he did this, but he still had to concentrate very hard. One thing he had acquired was a new-found respect for Kylo and the way in which he manipulated the Force seemingly without too much effort. Hux was starting to appreciate just how difficult all of this was. It was also giving him an insight into just how powerful Kylo was.

He tightened the threads in his mind again, feeling the tug of resistance as the energy came to the tipping point between being able to do nothing and being able to move the ball. He looked at the wooden orb, noticing the way it was starting to vibrate ever so slightly in the air. This was the truly delicate part of the operation, and he shut out everything else around him as his senses teetered on a knife’s edge between being able to move the ball and doing nothing. He felt it then, a single tendril of power, as fragile as a cobweb, and he eased the tension to try and hold it steady and then pressed in the tiniest bit. Or what he thought was the tiniest bit…

It was too much.

The energy burst out of him and the ball shot off towards the tower, travelling at an uncontrolled speed. Hux watched it in disgust and then huffed as Kylo came down from the tower, extended one hand and stopped the ball dead in its flight. He twisted his wrist slightly and it floated obediently into his waiting hand. He walked across the stone and Eldrine looked past him to where Kasha was waiting at the base of the tower. Her eyes had that slightly vacant look that meant they were speaking telepathically.

‘Hux.’ she said as Kylo got to them. ‘Kasha has said she does not require Kylo for a few hours and has suggested that you both would be well served by going to find some of the blue mushrooms from the woods for tonight’s dinner.’ Hux frowned. He looked at Kylo and was given a shrug. Eldrine put her hand on his shoulder, pretty much swallowing it. ‘You could use a break.’ She looked at Kylo. ‘Maybe you could have some better luck.’

‘I’ll try.’ Kylo said and handed her the ball. He grinned at Hux, who was immediately suspicious. He was rather perturbed by how easily Kylo seemed to smile these days. It was such a stark contrast to what he had been before and what he was turning into and bemused Hux and enchanted him in equal measures.

Eldrine nodded and walked back across the platform to join Kasha and then they disappeared back into the zigurrat.

'So, mushrooms?' Hux said to Kylo. 'Is this what I have been reduced to?'

'Come on.' Kylo said. 'Let's take a walk, General.'

They took their time, enjoying the air and the sunshine. It felt oddly companionable being together like that. The walk to the woods took a fair while and they were side by side, the occasional bump of shoulders the only real communication between them.

It was cooler under the trees, a soft breeze coming off the lake. The water was clear and still somewhat icy to the touch when Kylo crouched on one of the protruding rocks and swirled his fingers in it. He looked up to find Hux watching him intently. The man who had come to the planet pale and neat was now altogether different. His pallid skin had colour and the freckles that had been almost invisible were now a light tan and marched across his nose and cheekbones. His red hair was longer, falling in his eyes and matching the beard that covered his face.

'You don't look like you anymore.' Kylo said and stood up.

'Neither do you.' Hux said. 'You're getting tan.' He held out a hand. Kylo stared at, not quite sure what to do with it. Hux huffed and then very deliberately reached for his and took it in a firm grip.

'Raised by womp rats.' he sighed and tugged Kylo after him towards the trees. Kylo went, the strange warm heaviness of Hux’s hand in his making him feel things that he’d thought long buried. A memory stirred of holding someone’s hand and the excitement that came with it. Another boy, lanky like Hux and yellow haired like his uncle. He’d been from a distant planet and Kylo remembered a kiss stolen under a dark sky. He’d killed that boy along with all the others and the betrayal in his eyes had been terrible. Hux stopped and looked at him. They were now in the treeline at the edge of the water and the sunlight was dappled across their faces.

‘What was his name?’ he asked.

‘Brynn.’ Kylo replied. ‘We were the same age.’ He frowned. ‘I can’t remember what colour his eyes were. After I killed them all, I pushed everything away. Snoke told me to use the pain, use the anger and make myself strong.’

‘Did it work?’ Hux ask and he stepped in a little closer. In the shade, his eyes were the same colour as the foliage underfoot.

‘For a few years.’ Kylo said. ‘I felt energized, strong. I knew that in the service of my Master nothing could touch me.’

‘And now?’ Hux was now toe to toe with him.

‘Now, I feel like it was all a lie.’ Kylo said. ‘No, that’s not quite right. I know it was a lie. I think I knew it all along.’ He looked at Hux. ‘I have to kill him. It’s my trial. That’s the only way I’ll ever be truly free of him.’

‘Kasha told you this.’ Hux said and Kylo nodded.

‘They’re going to separate us.’ he said. ‘We both need to be trained for our trials, and Kasha said that you cannot help me with what’s coming.’

‘It makes sense.’ Hux said. ‘You are already trained in a great many things. I am starting from the beginning. And quite frankly, from a strategic point of view it makes far more sense to split us up. Makes it far more difficult to find us.’

‘Are you saying you would be happy for them to do that?’ Kylo felt his chest tighten at the very thought of leaving him.

‘No.’ Hux said and for the first time in their relationship Kylo was amazed to see that he actually looked unhappy. Not disgruntled or angry or frustrated, but unhappy and it felt awful to think that he was the cause. ‘As much as a few weeks ago I would have gladly blown you out an airlock, now you are the only link to who I was.’ He reached up and cupped Kylo’s face. ‘You of all people are the only thing I have left.

‘And Millie.’ Kylo said, giving him a half smile. ‘I don’t want to be separated from you, Hux. But this means I could get my life back. And as long as Snoke is still alive, I won’t have my life. I’ll have whatever he has given me, as tainted as it is.’

‘I understand.’ Hux said, and there was hesitation in his voice. ‘I know what it means to have your destiny mapped out and controlled by things that you should not have to deal with when you’re a child.’ Kylo could feel the emotional turmoil in him and frowned.

‘What?’ he asked. ‘What is it?’ He was getting images, watery flashes of people and feelings. He got a single pin sharp image of a woman, beautiful and pale with delicate features and bright copper red hair.

‘My mother.’ Hux said. He took his hand back, but Kylo caught it and held it to his chest.

‘It’s funny.’ he said. ‘I know absolutely nothing about your family, apart from the fact that your father was the notorious Commandant.’

‘My mother was from Nirauan. She was not, however, my father's wife. Her father was an Imperial officer stationed at the base there. They met on a visit by an Imperial delegation, had an affair and I was born and raised on Niruaun until I was ten.’ Hux said. ‘Then my father came for me and took me away from her so I could be trained at the Academy.’

‘You were illegitimate?’ Kylo asked. Hux nodded.

‘And he never let me forget it.’ he said. ‘He never acknowledged me publicly except to give me a name which made me a target for everyone else in the damn place. He never hid his contempt for me. I was small and skinny and weak, and every time he looked at me he saw her and it made him angry because I look just like her.’ He gave a humourless huff. ‘Except the eyes. I have the damn Hux eyes. I sometimes wonder what would have happened to me if he’d just left me there with her. But he couldn’t, could he? So he dragged me away into that shithole and left me to fend for himself.’ Kylo stared at him.

‘But you didn’t let him win.’ he said.

‘No.’ Hux said. ‘I became the best cadet that academy had ever seen. I broke every record they had. I made myself sick because I didn’t sleep, because I pushed my body to do things it shouldn’t have. And by the end of it I was a cadet he should have been proud of. And I didn’t stop there. I fought my way up through the ranks. I even killed a few people that were in my way. And when I was done I was a general and no-one could touch me.’ He huffed again but this time the laughter in it was real. ‘Until you turned up and my whole life got that much more interesting. You drove me to a near breakdown on occasion, you and that kriffing loose cannon temper of yours and your damned arrogance.’

‘Are you sorry?’ Kylo asked, his voice soft. ‘Are you sorry you bought me with you?’

Not in the slightest.’ Hux replied and stepped into his space. He placed both hands at the sides of Kylo’s neck and pulled him down the inch needed to kiss him. Kylo kissed him back, letting all the feelings inside him flood into Hux and drawing in those he found in return. It was almost overwhelming and he let himself drown in them, the feeling of Hux’s mouth warm and firm under his. He felt like everything that had happened had led him to this point.

The vision came out of nowhere.

Kylo had never had many. He’d desperately tried to access that side of himself, to open himself up to the Darkness in exchange for the ability to see what was coming. There had been only a few, and they had been misty and vague at best. This one though was as clear as if he’d been standing watching it.

_A dark place. Kylo could tell from the smell that they were in the caverns under the Citadel. The stench of corruption was thick and made him nauseous but a strong hand landed on his arm and then a blaze of orange light chased the darkness away. Kylo turned and saw Hux next to him. He was dressed somberly, dark robes like those Eldrine wore, and he wielded his lightsaber with an ease that he did not yet possess. Their eyes met and Kylo ignited his own weapon, the purple and orange fire casting shadows as they moved forward together and all Kylo felt was strength and purpose coming from the man next to him, their bond allowing him to draw on it as if it were his own. There was the sound of other blades being ignited and Kylo turned to see two more figures. They felt different to him and Hux, a purity and light coming from them that felt like it could light up the darkness all by itself. He saw their faces reflected in the light of the lightsabers – the scavenger girl and the traitorous Stormtrooper. The girl was dressed like a Paduwan, her double ended lightsaber blades a brilliant white. The trooper was not, however. Instead he was dressed like Kylo was in smugglers’s clothing. The lightsaber in his hand was his own though, the bright blue blade crafted by his own hand._

‘Kylo!’ It was the worry in Hux’s voice, the almost panic that brought Kylo round. He opened his eyes and looked up at Hux. He was on the ground and when Hux helped him to sit up, Kylo felt sticky warmth dripping from his nose and down his face. He raised a hand to his face and saw the bright red smears on his hand when he took it away. His ears were ringing and he felt dizzy. Hux cradled him, stroking his hair back and peering at him. ‘Can you hear me?’

‘I can hear you.’ he replied, his voice sounding like he’d been asleep for days. ‘What the kriff was that?’

‘You just fell over, like you had passed out.’ Hux said. ‘And then you started bleeding.’ He frowned. ‘You saw something? You were muttering.’

‘I saw you.’ Kylo said. ‘I saw us under the Citadel. We were together.’

‘Is that supposed to happen?’ Hux asked. ‘I thought you said you had to face him alone as your trial.’

‘We need to talk to the others.’ Kylo winced as a pain lanced through his head. ‘Help me up.’ Hux hauled him to his feet and steadied him.

‘I think you should sit down for a bit.’ he said and Kylo waved him off.

‘The scavenger and the traitor were there too.’ he said. ‘This is something I don’t think anyone has foreseen. It’s important, Hux.’

‘All right.’ Hux said and wrapped his arm around Kylo’s waist to support him. ‘Come on.’

They walked back, the bright sunlight making the pain in Kylo’s head worse. His nose had thankfully stopped bleeding. They got to the meadow and as they did they heard the sound of engines and saw a ship come down through the sky.

‘They’re back.’ Hux said, squinting against the glare. ‘The Kyari.’

Kylo felt a lurch in his stomach as a familiar feeling stole over him. He put his head down and focused on getting to back without passing out.


	26. Reunions

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> People are reunited, for good or bad.

_There was snow and Kylo frowned as it fell in his eyes, clumping his eyelashes together. He looked up, realising that his perspective was skewed and then it came to him that he was lying on his back. He lifted his hand and looked at the dark sticky fluid on his glove. The same gloves he no longer wore._

_He was on Starkiller._

_He glanced down at himself. There was pain, so much it was close to being the most agonising thing he’d ever experienced, but it felt like he was detached from it. He was in his robes and the blood that was coming from the bowcaster wound in his side made them sticky and shiny. He moved his right hand across his body, probing the injury. His torn skin and flesh felt pulpy under his fingertips and he marveled at how he was still alive. He knew the power of the blast he’d been hit with._

_‘Weak child.’ The disgust in Snoke’s voice made Kylo look up. His master was standing at his feet, his ruined face hidden by the heavy black robe he wore. ‘You are pathetic, unworthy of the power I have bestowed upon you.’_

_Kylo felt puzzled. He knew he should be afraid, should be begging his master for clemency and cowering like a beaten dog._

_Instead, he was filled with….nothing._

_Snoke seemed to sense his lack of fear and there was a hiss. A withered hand extended and Kylo felt the sure of power as Snoke tried to claw his way inside his head. But instead of relenting and taking the punishment that he would have welcomed before Kylo threw it off. He gave Snoke a grim smile when he felt his astonishment at Kylo’s impertinence._

_‘Fool.’ he hissed. ‘You have no idea what you are doing. You are nothing without me. I have made you what you are.’ He took a step closer and now Kylo felt the crushing weight of Snoke’s power on his chest and in his mind. It was excrutiating and he roared in pain, but it also gave him the impetus to roll onto his front and slowly, agonisingly, push himself onto his hands and knees. He staggered when he was up, looking at the snow as he tried to find his lightsaber. Snoke make a deep growling sound and then the pain was back, making Kylo stumble and clutch at his head. He forced himself to focus and then managed to straighten up._

_‘You are done here.’ he gritted out. ‘You have no power over me anymore.’_

_‘We will see about that.’ Snoke sneered and twisted his hand in the air and it was like a blade through Kylo’s guts, the pain in his side flaring out of control. He cried out, unable to stifle it and Snoke chuckled. He did it again and Kylo fell to his knees, unable to resist anymore._

_He looked up through eyes that were quickly becoming bleary and Snoke nodded._

_‘Now you see.’ His voice was triumphant. ‘You are my creature until I see fit to dispose of you.’_

_Kylo felt like he should resign himself to this. Snoke was right, he was weak and unworthy and if he just fell in line the pain would stop._

_‘Yes.’ Snoke crowed. ‘Now you see it. Come to me, Kylo Ren and it will all be as it should.’_

_‘No!’ The word was shouted from beyond the tree line and Kylo turned his head as quickly as he dared. His vision was still blurry but he could just make out the outline of a tall figure that was coming out of the trees._

_‘Hux…’ The word came out as a whisper. It was him though. Kylo could see the bright glimmer of his copper hair as he came towards them. Hux was dressed in his general’s regalia and Kylo regarded him. It was so odd, to think that this Hux was also his Hux._

_‘General.’ Snoke sounded furious. ‘This is not your place.’_

_‘Oh, I think you’ll find it is.’ Hux said, tilting his chin up defiantly, every little movement of his face and the ice in his voice showing the utter contempt he held Snoke in._

_‘And what has bought you to this grand epiphany?’ Snoke’s tone was acidic. ‘You know that he will never truly be free of me.’_

_‘That’s where you are mistaken.’ Hux was angry now, his green eyes blazing. ‘He doesn’t belong to you anymore, Supreme Leader. He is mine.’ He moved to stand between Kylo and Snoke and there was flare of orange fire as he ignited his lightsabre. He grasped it in both hands, bringing the blade into a defensive position. ‘And I will cut you down if you so much as touch a hair on his head.’_

_‘Fool.’ Snoke laughed. ‘You are no match for my power. You arrogance will be your downfall General, as it was with Starkiller. You have the audacity to come and face me alone.’ Kylo saw Hux smile, and the dangerous edge it had made his heart do a strange little skip._

_‘What makes you think I came alone?” Hux asked and then Kylo noticed it as he looked back into the trees. That was when he saw them, line upon line of figures. They were hooded and cloaked in grey, almost melting in and out of the shadows, and as he watched they extended their hands and there was a wall of light as they acted as one, igniting their lightsabers. He stared in disbelief at them all, realising that the clearing he and Hux and Snoke were standing in was completely surrounded._

_Hux turned to him and smiled, the ice now melted and his green eyes filled with something that made Kylo’ breath catch in his chest. He held out a hand._

_Kylo stared at it then reached out and took it._

He woke up with a shout, sitting bolt upright. He felt cool hands on him and saw that the lights in the room were on and that he was not alone. Hux was kneeling on the bed next to him, his hair in his eyes and his faced creased with worry. Around him stood the other Greys, all in various forms of sleepwear and underclothes. It took Kylo a moment to grasp the fact that he was actually awake, especially seeing Eldrine in her slinky scarlet robe of Randarian silk which made him stare with his mouth open.

‘Ren.’ Hux said, taking Kylo’s face in his hands. ‘Are you all right?’ Kylo dragged his attention back to Hux and then nodded.

‘I was in the snow.’ he said. 'I was back on Starkiller before it imploded.'

‘It was Snoke.’ Kasha said. She was wearing a simple pair of soft black pants and matching vest, her hair loose around her shoulders. ‘He was trying to break into your mind, to take you back. It’s the strongest attack he’s made and he did it so carefully none of us felt anything until he was inside your head.’ She looked anxious, and that more than anything made Kylo worry. ‘I’m so sorry he got past me.’

‘He got past all of us.’ Jokkhan growled. She was standing with her arm around Lendry.

‘You were there.’ Kylo said, blinking slowly as his mind caught up. ‘All of you.’ The he looked at Sudaka who was standing right at the back, their arms folded. ‘How many of us are there?’

 _Many._ Sudaka replied. _Tonight you saw us as we are. United to each other and willing to hear the call of one of our own that needs us. And tonight they all saw you as well._ They looked at KYlo and then at Hux. _Both of you._

‘What does that mean?’ Hux asked and Sudaka and Kasha exchanged looks.

‘It means that now the Elders have seen you.’ Kasha said. ‘So have the rest of our Order. And they have accepted you. They have shown Snoke you are under our protection.’

Kylo felt something warm light up inside him, something he’d thought was gone forever. A feeling of belonging, of safety and understanding. It felt good.

 _In light of Kylo’s vision the other day and now this, I can’t help but feel as if there is something coming._ _Snoke is certainly bolder than he has ever been before_. Sudaka said. _I need to speak to the Elders._

‘You’ll leave tonight?’ Kasha asked them and they nodded.

 _It would be best._ They looked gravely at her. _I also think that our original plan of keeping Kylo here until he is ready is not the best way forward. This attack brought Snoke perilously close to us. He could locate this planet, and then he could well make an attempt to take Kylo and Hux back. They need to be moved._

Kylo felt his blood run cold at those words and he unconsciously reached for Hux’s hand.

‘I will not be separated from him.’ he said, looking at Hux. ‘That vision showed us fighting Snoke together.’ He squeezed Hux’s hand.

‘I agree.’ Hux said, squeezing back. ‘Strategically we are stronger together.’

 _Agreed._ Sudaka said. _And to disrupt the Force bond now would be foolish._

‘So what do we do?’ Kasha asked. ‘The Kyari is not due back for at least a few weeks.’ The stop Corvis and the others had made had only been for two days to convey the message that Leia had been informed of her son’s location and the promise she’d given not to do anything about it until Kylo had completed his trial, then they had left once more to rally the smuggler clans. ‘And my ship will not carry both of them.’

 _Go with Eldrine._  Sudaka said. _I think that the four of you need to stay together. Lendry and Jokkhan will come with me and we shall meet again once we have spoken with the Kage and the Elders.’_

Where?’ Eldrine asked. ‘It will need to be somewhere safe.’

 _Ealor._ Sudaka said. _No sentient life and no technology. The chances of being discovered there are remote._ Eldrine nodded.

‘That is good.’ she said. ‘But an extended stay aboard my ship will not be ideal. It would only really be suitable for myself and one other.’

‘Then we get the boys a ship.’ Kasha said to her. ‘That way they have a place to stay and it also means we don’t have to listen to them at night.’ Hux made a slightly outraged noise at that. ‘We can go to Jakku. I know a man there who’ll give us a good deal.’

‘Oh for kriff’s sake.’ Hux huffed. ‘Not bloody Jakku again!’ The others looked at him. ‘That’s how this whole bloody mess started.’

 _Then it’s settled._ Sudaka started to walk towards the door. _Everyone up and packed. We’ll leave before sunrise._

**********

Leia sat in the office of her quarters and stared at the holocube she was holding. It was old, the tech needed to play it long since obsolete, but she didn’t need to watch it to know what was on it. Every time she’d watched it had burnt the image of the gangly dark haired boy into her memory, a washed out image of thick dark brown hair like her own and hazel eyes that were mirror images of hers.

She knew that she shouldn’t but she couldn’t help herself. It was so easy to fall into self-recrimination and go back over every little thing she’d said or not said in a bid to understand what had happened to her son. A thousand times she had replayed the conversation on the flight pad with Han, and a thousand times she had grabbed him and held on and he was still alive with her in her dreams. Regret was a luxury she’d never really had the opportunity to be familiar with though and she shoved all her fanciful notions away and focused on what was coming.

They had received the transmission a few hours ago once the falcon was in range and the sound of Rey’s voice had been enough to raise her spirits. She had also not failed to notice the effect that particular bit of news had had on a certain person, and that had made her smile. Her comm chimed and she answered it.

‘General Organa? They are here.’ The words set off a torrent of feelings – pain and regret and hope all mixed up together.

‘Thank you.’ Leia replied and cut the transmission. She replaced the holocube in the strongbox on her desk and stood up, straightening her uniform and touching a hand to her hair.

It was time to go and meet the returning members of her family.

*********

Down in the hangar, Finn stood on the platform overlooking the main deck and bounced on the soles of his feet. He could never remember feeling the kind of crazy excitement he was currently awash in, not even when he’d ridden his first speeder bike. Next to him, Poe watched him with a grin on her face.

‘Maybe she’s forgotten you.’ he said. ‘Maybe she thinks you died.’ He burst out laughing at the look of absolute desolation that crossed Finn’s face. ‘I’m kidding. I’m sure she’s just as excited to be back. And I’ll bet you’re the first person she plans on getting her hands on.’ It was accompanied by a wink and Finn’s look of embarrassment was too good. Poe had discovered that teasing Finn was by far one of his favourite things to do.

‘I wonder how she’s been?’ Finn said, hands on the rail and rocking backwards and forwards. Poe had noticed how he found it hard to be still.

‘Probably learning how to kick ass.’ he said, grinning at Finn. ‘She might even be able to kick yours.’

‘She could do that before she left.’ Finn replied, returning the smile. ‘But now she’s coming back a Jedi.’ His obvious pride made Poe laugh and slap him on the shoulder, but it was interrupted by the sound of a ship coming in low and fast and Finn’s eyes widened as the Falcon came flying in through the open bay doors.

‘They’re here.’ he breathed and Poe gave him a shove.

‘Well, what are you waiting for?’ he asked. ‘Go say hi.’ He gave Finn a shove and Finn laughed, bright and light-hearted, and started running down the stairs, dodging ground crew and almost bowling a few people over in his rush to get to the hangar deck. It was hard to believe this was the same person who’d been bought back from Starkiller in a coma just a month before. It made Poe wonder if brainwashing was all they did to storm troopers.

He was about to follow when a gentle hand fell on his arm and he turned to see Leia next to him.

General.’ he said, inclining his head to her. Their working relationship was a warm one.

‘They’re back.’ Leia didn’t look at him, her eyes fixed on where the Falcon was touching down.

‘They are.’ Poe knew her well enough to see the emotions churning just under the surface of her iron-clad control. ‘Shall we?’

Leia turned to him, her dark eyes suspiciously shiny. She gave him a small smile and took his offered arm and they went down the stairs together. Finn was already pacing backwards and forwards as he waited for the Falcon’s engines to shut down and the entry ramp to lower. It finally did and he watched avidly as a slender figure came bounding down the ramp.

Rey wasted no time at all, flinging herself at him with a happy shout and Finn caught her easily, swinging her around. It made Poe smile to see their obvious happiness in being reunited. Next to him, Leia slowed and her grip on him tightened. Poe looked at her, seeing how she’d caught her breath. Then movement from inside the ship caught his eye and he heard Leia take in a sharp breath. He saw the figure that was now silhouetted in the hatch and knew that this was a moment he couldn’t help her with so he gently disentangled himself from her and went over to go and greet Rey.

Leia stood where he’d left her, her heart beating rapidly at the sight of her twin, her other half who had gone and left her behind. Half of her wanted to run up and brerate him, to demand answers to questions she’d had burning inside of her for years. The other half knew the pain he felt all too well, could feel it even now. Luke’s regret was palpable and she had to steel herself before taking that first step towards him. He was robed and hooded and she couldn’t see his face. R2 was behind him, almost like he was shepherding Luke in front and she smiled at how the little droid seemed to almost be the one taking care of the man.

She finally managed to make her feet move and walked slowly towards her brother. He’d stopped and was waiting for her, hands folded in front of him. She could see the metal prosthetic, a reminder of so many things past. Then Luke lifted his hands and drew back the hood an she saw her brother for the first time in over ten years.

Her first thought was that he was tired. She could feel the deep emotional exhaustion inside him, coupled with that regret and pain. But there was also love, love for her and for Han and Chewie. There were also new something new – a feeling of hope that made Leia’s heart lift. It was tied up in his feelings for Rey and she looked at him, knowing how much their decision to do what they had done had cost him.

_Have you told her?_

_No. But she suspects things._

Leia nodded once. She was close enough now to see the changes in him. He was bearded, his once blond hair now more silver than gold. His eyes were the same bright blue, but they were tired. There were so many new lines on his face, some of them mirrored in her own. She moved forward and placed her hand to his cheek.

‘Luke.’ she said, needing no other words to convey all her emotions to him.

‘Leia.’ he replied. ‘Sister.’ He sounded like he’d aged a thousand years and now Leia felt the almost overwhelming sadness in him.

‘You old fool.’ she said, her composure finally breaking. ‘Come here.’ She pulled him in, wrapping her arms around him, and he went into her embrace stiffly at first but then it was like something broke inside him and he returned it. There was still strength in him and she took refuge in it and tried to give back as much comfort as she could. They were still standing there when Leia heard steps behind them. She pulled back and saw Rey and Finn standing with Poe a little way behind.

‘Luke.’ she said. ‘This is Finn.’ She smiled at the young man next to her and Leia could feel the affection between them. ‘And Poe.’ Luke turned to look at Finn and then Leia caught a flicker of surprise even if he kept his face neutral.

_What is it?_

_Later._

‘It’s very nice to meet you.’ Luke spoke slowly, almost as if he’d forgotten how to interact and Leia wondered if he had truly been alone all that time he was gone.

‘Come.’ she said, taking his hand. ‘We have a lot to catch up on.’

********

‘And this is where we’re quartered.’ Finn said. He had dragged Rey up to the base accommodations that he was now sharing with Poe. He stood back and gestured proudly around the room. It was standard accommodations with two sets of bunk beds built against the bulkhead and storage lockers alongside, and Rey couldn’t help but feel a little claustrophobic but Finn looked so happy she couldn’t help but smile with him. Especially when he turned those dark eyes on her and little lurch happened in her stomach. It had taken leaving him and going to Luke to realise that she wasn’t ready to give up what she’d so recently found. She’d been alone for so long that she hadn’t realised just how incredibly lonely she’d been until Finn had rather unceremoniously crashed into her life.

‘I missed you.’ she said. ‘I am so happy you’re all right.’ and Finn kept on talking for a few more seconds before he realised what she’d said. A broad smile spread across his face.

Rey returned the smile.

*********

‘They call themselves Greys.’ Leia said. Her and Luke were in her quarters, and she poured out another tea for them both. Luke lifted his cup in both hands and blew away the steam.

‘I have heard rumours.’ he said. ‘When I began to research the history of the Jedi I became aware that there were some who had been exiled and who had set up their own order, but the information I found was scant at best. I was never able to find any in all my travels, although there were times when I think I may have been close to encountering them. I have learned that they are adept at masking themselves in the Force and this is probably what has kept them alive.’

‘Are they what Oluru claims?’ Leia asked. ‘Are they going to keep him safe and not use him for anything that would only make him turn further to the Dark Side?’

‘That I cannot tell you.’ Luke replied. ‘I know so little of their Order that I cannot give you any comfort. What I can say is that they do not seem to be committed to either the Dark or the Light but practitioners of both.’ He sighed. ‘If I am completely honest, they are more than likely the best equipped to deal with him. And this General Hux.’ Leia looked at him. The revelation that Hux was her son’s lover had not been a shock because of the gender of the person concerned, but rather the nature of the man he had chosen. She looked at her twin. Luke’s own sexuality had been neither here nor there for her. She had loved him regardless, although Luke had eschewed all ties with the man he’d fallen in love with when he’d committed himself to becoming a Jedi Master.

‘I am very glad you’re back.’ she said and Luke looked away.

‘Leia…’ he started and she leaned over and grasped both his hands in hers.

‘Please.’ she said, her voice pleading. ‘I have lost Han and Ben. I need you, Luke. I need you to be here.’

‘It was my fault.’ The guilt in Luke’s voice made it thick. ‘I should have seen.’

‘I am his mother.’ Leia countered. ‘And yet I suspected nothing. We cannot blame ourselves.’

‘But I was his teacher, Leia.’ Luke said. His eyes were still downcast, but Leia knew that there were tears in them. ‘I was the one who was supposed to guide him on his path to the Light. Instead I failed him and he fell and there was nothing I could do to save him.’ He was so full of anguish and Leia felt helpless in the face of it. She squeezed his hands.

‘He’s not lost Luke.’ she said. ‘I can feel it. He just needs to be bought back.’

‘He may not want to come back, Leia.’ Luke said. He looked at her. ‘You must be prepared for that now. Just because he has left the First Order does not mean he will turn back to the light. I do not know what has happened to him since he has come to be with the Grey Jedi, but I can tell you that I have not felt him. It’s like he’s been concealed in the Force. Whoever is doing it must be powerful because I did not teach him how to do that and he has never bothered to hide from me in all the years he’s been on the Dark side.’ He sighed heavily. ‘I am sorry I cannot tell you more than that. You say that this woman has promised you will see him once Ben has killed Snoke?’

‘Yes. If he wants to see me, that is.’ Leia replied. She sighed, echoing her twin. ‘I only hope he will.’

‘There’s always hope, Leia.’ Luke replied and squeezed her hand back.

*********

Kylo did a quick sweep of the room and made sure he hadn’t left anything behind. He caught a glimpse of himself in the windows and he stopped to study the man that he saw. It was true, he was no longer the Kylo Ren he had been before. He took in the Corellian clothing, the blaster that Kasha had found him in the mass of weapons they had stashed in one of the storage rooms in the holster on his thigh and his lightsabre clipped to his belt. He shrugged into his jacket and moved closer to the glass to study the face he’d spent so many years hiding. He looked less an than he had in years, a combination of good food and Hux’s body making him look like the man he may have grown into if he had not followed Snoke. He took the leather thong from his pocket and scraped his hair back into a half-tail, tying it securely so it was off his face.

He wasn’t afraid to show his face anymore, to acknowledge his humanity.

The door to his room opened and Kylo turned to see Hux come in. He was also dressed and Kylo’s eyes dropped automatically to where Hux now wore his own lightsabre at his belt, although he also still wore his blaster as well. He noted that Hux also had his bag over his shoulder and Millicent in his arms.

‘Are you ready to go?’ Hux asked and he nodded, walking over and picking up his own bag from the bed. He went over to Hux and looked into his eyes, the pale green soothing him.

‘You were willing to fight for me.’ he said softly. ‘You told Snoke that I belonged to you.’ He smiled at him and then Hux did something completely unexpected. A light flush of colour stole into his face and he looked away.

‘Well.’ he said, sounding like Kylo had caught him doing something rather embarrassing. ‘I had to do something.’

Kylo took Hux’s face in his hands, taking advantage of the fact that he was holding Millicent and couldn’t stop him, and turned his face back to where they could look at each other again.

‘Thank you, Hux.’ he said, his voice low. ‘You don’t know what it means.’ His heart was pounding as he steeled himself to say what he needed to. ‘I never thought I would ever find someone who would be willing to do that for me.’ He was so filled with conflicted emotions and he knew it was spilling over – all his fear and desperate need and insecurity. He watched as Hux caught his emotions and then he was leaning across the space and kissing Kylo over Millicent, who mewed in protest at being squashed.

‘Like I would let you inflict yourself on anyone else.’ he said, but his voice was full of affection and the warm feeling was back. ‘I think I am probably the only one that can handle you correctly.’ Then he turned serious. ‘I would kill him if he hurt you, Kylo.’

Kylo felt like his heart was about to burst. It was so strange, this much unfamiliar emotion instead of the rage that used to fill him. He ran his thumbs along Hux’s cheekbones and kissed him again, soft and reverent.

‘I have no doubt you would, Hux.’ he replied, nudging Hux’s nose with his own and getting a huff. ‘You are by far the scariest person I have ever encountered.’

‘Now you’re just making fun of me.’ Hux grumbled and Kylo laughed and kissed him quiet.


	27. Jakku

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> They are back on Jakku.

Jakku. It really was the arse end of the Western Reaches.

Hux heaved a sigh and aimed a kick at an errant rock in protest. It was blazingly hot and he’d wrapped his scarf around his head and face, partly to conceal himself from anyone that may recognise him, as unlikely as that was, and also to keep the dust out of his face.

They were on the western face of the planet in a settlement called Cratertown. Kasha had said there was a dealer on the outskirts of the settlement which had a wide range of merchandise, mostly the confiscated winnings of Niima the Hutt that were being sold on. It was one of the reasons that Kasha had told Eldrine to come to Cratertown instead of Niima Township, wanting as far as possible to avoid any entanglements with the Hutt.

They were now walking through the settlement, a collection of low lying pale stone dwellings that almost faded into the pale ground around them when viewed from above. Hux looked at Kylo next to him and he noticed that Kylo’s jaw was set. This planet held bad memories for the both of them.

They got to the main market centre. Kasha was ahead of them, her head and face hidden by the grey hooded robe she wore, the same one that Hux had seen in the dream only a few nights before when they had confronted Snoke. She had told Hux to mask himself, to make himself as inconspicuous as he could in the Force and she would mask herself and Kylo, who was still struggling to master the knack.

Hux looked around him, thankful he hadn’t chosen a place like this to disappear with his would be hostage. Jakku was desolate and hot and so dry it felt like his eyeballs were rattling around in his head. It was also making Kylo jumpy and irritable and Hux could feel how unsettled he was. He knew why of course, knew that this was where all the events that come come to affect both their lives so profoundly had started. He wanted to reach out and take Kylo’s hand, to reassure him but he didn’t. he knew if he did that it would be an acknowledgement of Kylo’s weakness and so he simply kept his feelings neutral and calming, feeling Kylo draw on that. There was something else though, a feeling that Hux couldn’t interpret and something that Kylo was keeping very close to his chest.

The dealer had a lot that was now just in front of them. There were ships scattered around and Hux felt Kylo’s feelings tighten. The tension inside him was now a dull throbbing ache. Then he stopped dead. Hux stopped as well and looked at him.

‘Ren?’ he said and Kylo shuddered as Hux said his name. Ahead of them, Kasha had stopped as well and was now turned back to look at them. Hux looked at her and she shrugged.

‘It was here.’ Kylo said, his voice rough with emotion.

‘The droid?’ Hux frowned. ‘Yes, we know that.’

‘No.’ Kylo replied. He was staring at the lot in front of them. ‘The ship.’ The turmoil inside him seemed to bubble up for a moment and then just as suddenly he collected himself and it subsided, surprising the hell out of Hux. He’d never seen Kylo do that before, certainly not in all their time together on the Finalizer.

‘Looks like all that meditating Kasha’s been making you do is paying off.’ he said and Kylo turned to look at him, his astonishment at Hux’s quip obvious.

‘Did you just make a joke?’ he asked and Hux was momentarily taken aback at the suggestion.

‘I suppose I did.’ he said. ‘Probably not the time or place.’ Then his bemusement turned into something a great deal more profound as Kylo stepped into his space and rested his forehead against Hux’s.

_No. It’s exactly what I need right now._

He stepped away and Hux looked into his eyes. All he saw there now was calm.

‘Come on you two.’ Kasha called back to them. ‘We have a ship to buy. I really don’t want to be here any longer than necessary.’

‘Neither do we.’ Hux replied. He looked at Kylo enquiringly and Kylo nodded. They fell back into step behind her and walked into the lot.

*********

The Kyari flew in low over the planet’s surface and came in to dock at the spaceport that lay in the middle of the settlement. It was one of a few that dotted the planet’s surface, hidden by the rocky outcrops and deep canyons which made this particular place a haven for those people who wished to escape detection. Only truly skilled pilots could navigate the honeycomb of rock.

The ship landed and Corvis started the shutdown mode. Next to him, Mosh was doing the same and checking the ship’s systems. Around the ship, there was a crowd of people that were working in the docking bay and the comm sounded.

‘Corvis.’ The voice was deep and cheerful. ‘You’re back. I hope we find you all well.’

‘You do, Melik.’ Corvis replied. ‘Has Oluru come back yet?’

‘She is due, but she’s not yet returned.’ Melik replied. ‘Come on down. We’re very keen to find out what this is all about.’

‘Will do.’ Corvis replied. The Kyari’s engines finally fell silent and he got up. Mosh followed him and they walked back through to the main corridor. Bhutara was waiting for them. She was dressed in a simple robe of white and D’Jell was by her side. Corvis smiled at them, his fingers grazing the thick fur on the top of D’jell’s head and the sand panther purred and followed at his heels.

They came down the ship’s ramp and were met by a smuggler. He was tall, a full head taller than even Corvis was, with the same dark skin and black eyes. There was enough of a resemblance for it to be clear they were related. He laughed and held out his arms as he came forward, getting Corvis in a rough bear hug.

‘Mark.’ he said.

‘Uncle.’ Corvis replied. He pulled back and looked at Caelum Melik, his father’s youngest brother and the leader of the smuggler clan that the other side of his family hailed from. ‘You look well.’ Melik chuckled and ran a hand over his bald head and then patted his slightly expanding waistline with a satisfied air.

‘Business is good.’ he said, slapping Corvis on the shoulder and moving to Mosh and Bhutara. Mosh took his outstretched hand they briefly touched foreheads in the traditional manner then he moved to Bhutara and enveloped her in his arms. ‘You gorgeous thing. When are you going to jump ship and run away with me?’

‘When you actually beat me in a hand of sabacc.’ she replied, her eyes twinkling. Next to her Mosh chuckled. Melik roared with laughter and then stepped back, gesturing to the open doors at the back of the docking bay.

‘Come on.’ he said. ‘We’ll go have to some food and then we can talk.’

*********

‘No.’ The Toydarian sounded outraged. These are all good ships. All legally acquired.’

‘Ha!’ Kasha had her arms folded. ‘If I had a credit for every time I heard that one.’

Kylo stood and watched the pair of them haggle, amusement creeping in despite what he was feeling. It had been a blow to come here and feel that awful familiarity, to be assaulted by those memories from when he was young, just like they had when they had found the Falcon on Starkiller. Thankfully this was more muted, the Falcon’s presence already starting to fade. Kylo was curious how the ship had come to be here in the first place and the mysterious way the Force worked that it had ended up in the hands of his father and the others once again.

He felt a tendril of concern making its way through his defences and looked at Hux. He knew Hux was anxious about his current emotional state, but Kylo wasn’t ready to explain himself just yet. His father and what had happened between them was still an open would, raw around the edges and he wanted to keep it that way, felt he deserved the pain.  
There was another thing too, a nagging little pull at the back of his head. Kylo wasn’t sure what it was yet, but there was something in the lot calling to him. He’d felt it before when he was on a mission, felt it the night he’d come to Jakku.

‘Fine!’ The Toydarian folded his arms, his small wings beating frantically. ‘Thirty thousand credits.’ Kasha snorted loudly.

‘For what?’ she demanded. ‘A piece of space junk that will give out the first time we engage the hyperdrive. I don’t think so.’

‘Anything less would be robbery.’ the Toydarian protested. He squawked as Kasha held up a hand and grabbed at the invisible restraints she had put at him, holding him still in mid-air. She walked right up to him and he quaked a little at her approach.

‘I thought the Force didn’t work on Toydarians?’ Kylo asked, his curiosity piqued by what he’d just seen.

‘Mind tricks don’t’ Kasha said, half turning. ‘But good old fashioned threats of physical violence do.’ She turned back to the dealer. ‘And you’re going to let us take any ship that strikes our fancy for ten thousand.’

‘Ten thousand!’ The words were an outraged squeal. ‘That really is robbery!’ Kasha tilted her head slightly and he squawked again as the bonds around him tightened. ‘All right, all right! Ten thousand.’

‘For any ship in the lot.’ Kasha said. ‘And if you renege I am going to turn you into a kebab. And when I am done I am going to hand you over the Hutt and tell her you’ve been dealing with the Grey Order. I’m sure she’ll be delighted to hear that.’

‘NO!’ The Toydarian wriggled frantically. ‘Not that!’

‘Then we have a deal?’ Kasha persisted. ‘Any ship in the lot, ten thousand credits.’

‘Yes, we have a deal.’ The Toydarian slumped. ‘Any ship on the lot, ten thousand credits. But you pay in full and leave me alone!’

‘Done.’ Kasha said and released him. The Toydarian flitted away muttering very uncomplimentary things about Grey Jedi.

‘Aren’t you worried he'll tell on us?’ Hux remarked. Kasha grinned.

‘No.’ she said. ‘I just got you a ship for half of what he should have got for it, maybe less. He’s not going to be in any hurry to tell anyone about that. Especially when he’s going to spend the rest of the day moving credits around to cover his stock loss.’

‘That’s actually…rather mercenary of you.’ Hux said, a note of admiration in his voice.

‘I’m a smuggler, Hux.’ Kasha said. ‘Mercenary is a fairly large part of what I do.’ She grinned. ‘Now you boys scamper off and find yourselves a ship. I have some errands to run.’

‘Out here?’ Hux looked around. ‘Unless you’re contemplating shares in sand, I fail to see what possible business you could have.’ Kasha grinned and dug a credit chip out of her pocket and flipped iit to him. Hux caught it neatly and stowed it away.

‘You’ve got two hours.’ she said. ‘Then you come and find me in Ergal’s Bar.’

‘All right.’ Hux said and they watched her walk off. He turned to Kylo. ‘Shall we?’

Kylo followed him, the pull in his head starting to feel like a compulsion. They wandered through the ships for a while, Hux looking them all over with a critical eye.

‘This is a bunch of junk.’ he said, then glanced at Kylo. ‘And a little assistance would be welcome.’

‘Shh.’ Kylo held up a hand and felt a wave of outrage coming from Hux. He focused on the pull. He’d always trusted and relied on these feelings before and something definitely wanted him to come and find it. Hux frowned and watched him turn in a circle, trying to locate the source of the feeling.

‘Have you lost your mind?’ Hux enquired, his voice dry. ‘Again?’

‘There’s something here.’ Kylo replied. ‘So shut up and let me focus.’

‘O for kriff’s sake.’ Hux sounded exasperated. ‘Are you having another vision?’

‘Not exactly.’ Kylo stopped and stared towards the back of the lot. There were several large ships standing haphazardly docked. ‘There.’ He started moving towards them, his stride lengthening as he felt the pull tighten in his head. Hux jogged alongside him to catch up and then kept pace with him easily. Kylo smiled as he remembered the way they used to stalk around the Finalizer and how he’d always tried to walk that little bit faster.

‘I knew it.’ Hux said. ‘I knew that’s what you were doing.’ He shook his head as he kept walking and then stopped when he noticed that Kylo wasn’t next to him. He stopped as well and turned back. He tugged the scarf away from his face. ‘Ren?’

Kylo was frozen in place. He stared between two ships to where a much smaller one could just be glimpsed. When he had been a child, his father had told him about ships and Kylo had been in love with those stories. He’d had a collection of scale models of the infamous YT series, the Corellian ships that had built a shipping industry that had spanned the galaxy.

The ship he was seeing was an older model, already considered past her prime by the time the Rebels were fighting against the Imperial Forces. The line had been noted for its extreme agility and the ability to be highly modified and the kinds of speeds that they had been capable of were extreme. It had been his favourite when he was a child, dreaming about following his father into space and living free of all his responsibilities.

Kylo walked towards it, the feeling getting stronger and stronger until he was standing in front of it. The distinctive profile was unmistakeable. Hux came up beside him.

‘A YT-1000?’ he asked in disbelief. ‘It’s practically an antique.’

‘They’re fast.’ Kylo said, approaching the ship. He let his eyes rove over her graceful lines. ‘And you can add whatever you like to her and she’ll take it.’ He smiled at Hux. ‘That will be sure to keep you occupied.’ He looked back up as he walked underneath the superstructure. ‘I wonder if she saw action.’ He moved and activated the controls on the landing gear, old memories of another ship coming back. There was a sound like an angry screech as equipment long out of use ground into action, and the ramp lowered. Kylo peered up and felt Hux come to do the same over his shoulder.

‘Well, there’s lights which shows at least power systems are still working.’ he said and Kylo looked at him. ‘No guarantee that extends to the main engines though, let alone the hyperdrive.’

‘Guess we’ll have to find out.’ he replied and started walking up the ramp. Hux sighed and came up behind him. The air inside the ship was musty, but Kylo looked around and liked what he saw. There bulkheads were all intact and well cared for and he could see that whoever had owned the ship had obviously taken care to keep it in good condition. Not only that, but Jakku’s dry desert air seemed to have made sure there was no corrosion or organic growth.

They came up through the entrance hatch into a central circular corridor that was standard for all Corellian freighters. The lights were on except for a couple around the curve that were blinking. Hux looked at Kylo and raised his eyebrows. Kylo elected to ignore his doubt and started to explore the ship, Hux in tow. They went towards the bow, finding two fairly substantial cargo holds on the port and starboard sides leading off the short passage that led through to the cockpit. Kylo opened the cockpit hatch and they saw a narrow space with the instrument console set directly ahead of them with the pilot and co-pilot’s chairs side by side. Kylo knew that the crew complement needed for the ship was only two, with himself doing the bulk of the flying and Hux’s engineering know-how providing the technical expertise. He walked to the console, admiring the overhead viewports which gave the cockpit an almost 360 degree viewing circle.

‘Well, this doesn’t look too bad.’ Hux said behind him. Kylo smiled and reached out to touch the console and that was when it hit, with no warning whatsoever.

_Hux sitting next to him, laughing at something he’d said. His beard was now thick and neatly trimmed and his hair was hanging in those green eyes which were sparkling with good humour. Kylo smiled back and leaned across the gap between them, catching Hux by the front of his shirt and hauling him in close enough to kiss._

‘What is it?’ Hux asked. ‘Another vision?’ Kylo nodded.

‘We’ll be happy here.’ he said, looking around the cockpit. ‘She’ll keep us safe and we’ll be happy.’

‘Well, that’s alarmingly sentimental.’ Hux replied. ‘If you’re done getting all misty-eyed, I suggest we have a look at the rest of her.’

Behind the starboard hold was the escape pod passageway and the secondary ramp. Down from there was a rec room and galley, small but well-equipped. Hux inspected the room with a critical eye.

‘I suppose this will do.’ he said and Kylo smiled.

‘It’s not less comfortable than the Finalizer.’ he replied. ‘And once we start making modifications you can install whatever equipment you want. And think of all the space Millicent will have to run around in.’ He knew that appealing to Hux’s comfort was a losing effort, but Millicent on the other hand…

‘Yes, I suppose you’re right.’ Hux said. He dusted off his hands. ‘Although I dread to think what our quarters will look like. Not to mention the engine room.’

The latter turned out to be huge, taking up the bulk of the stern. There were two maintenance stations and plenty of room for storage compartments and workbench space. Hux cheered up immensely when he saw the engine modules. Kylo watched over his shoulder. He had had a good working knowledge of engines and drives and the skills needed to repair things that went wrong in transit, but he knew he was nowhere near as expert as Hux in that respect.

‘And?’ he asked when Hux was finished.

‘It actually looks a lot better than I expected.’ Hux replied. ‘Seems to be a Class 2 hyperdrive which is already an improvement on this type of ship, if I am not mistaken?’ Kylo racked his memory and nodded. ‘Not only that, but I am sure we can make a few improvements of our own.’ Those words made Kylo’s heart skip, and he cursed himself for his lack of composure when Hux smiled at him.

‘So we can have it?’ he asked and Hux laughed, a proper full-throated laugh that both surprised and exhilarated Kylo in equal measures.

‘Yes, we can.’ A mischievous glint appeared in the pale green eyes. ‘But let’s have a look at our quarters first.’

The crew compartment was the final door before the entrance hatch where they had come in and it was yet another surprise. For one, the refresher was inside the room and not an external space. The second thing was that there was only one bed and it was very very big.

‘Okay, we are definitely taking this one.’ Hux said and strode off to the hatch.

They found the Toydarian dealer arguing with a pair of Weequay and Hux went straight to him and handed him the chip.

‘We’re taking the YT-1000.’ he said and the Toydarian made a strangled noise.

‘That ship is worth at least twice this much.’ He protested, waving the chip and also incurring the annoyance of the Weequay as he flitted after Hux and Kylo. ‘It’s a good ship.’  
‘Which is precisely why we are taking it.’ Hux said. He rolled his eyes at Kylo as the dealer continued to pursue them, complaining constantly until Kylo turned sharply on his heel and raised his hand. He caught the Toydarian in a Force grip. He twisted his hand the Toydarian turned upside down and started to shout as Kylo shook him, probably a little bit harder than he needed to.

‘All right, all right!!! Take the freighter!!!’ the dealer screeched. ‘Just stop shaking me!’

‘With pleasure.’ Kylo said and let him go. He and Hux watched the dealer flap back to his other prospective customers as quickly as his little wings could carry him.

‘I see you haven’t quite lost your sadistic side.’ Hux remarked as they started walking again. He sounded like he was on the verge of laughter. ‘At least you didn’t choke him.’

‘Every time I did that it was deserved.’ He protested and Hux snorted.

‘That is bollocks.’ he said. ‘By the end all you had to do was look at Mitaka and he’d shit himself.’ He gave Kylo a sidelong glance. ‘And you can’t tell me you didn’t enjoy it.’

‘Maybe a little.’ Kylo conceded. ‘But your officers were a weak minded lot.’

‘Except for Phasma.’ Hux replied. ‘You never took her on, I notice.’

‘I’m reckless, not stupid Hux.’ Kylo replied. ‘Phasma would have destroyed me.’ Hux chuckled.

‘I wonder what’s happened to her?’ he mused. ‘Whether she escaped the implosion.’

‘You didn’t stop to check?’ Kylo frowned. ‘That’s unlike you. I would have thought making sure your officers got away safely would have been a priority.’

‘I was commanded to undertake a higher task.’ Hux said, his tone dry. ‘Namely to find you and bring you to Snoke.’ He grinned and it was surprisingly wolfish. ‘I had other plans, however.’

‘I have been meaning to ask you about that.’ Kylo said. ‘I’d like to hear how you did it? And how you managed to find me.’

‘Well, the first part was a great deal of forward planning and what I have now discovered was the Force giving me a kick in the trousers. The second part was because there was a tracker chip implanted in your belt buckle.’ Hux replied.

‘What?’ Kylo stopped dead. ‘How did you do that?’

‘I had my ways, Lord Ren.’ Hux said and smiled at Kylo’s obvious annoyance at this disclosure. ‘If it make you any happier, it was Snoke’s idea.’ They had now crossed the main market place again and were heading back to the collection of dwellings. ‘He’s never quite trusted you, I think.’

‘Seems like he was right not to.’ Kylo couldn’t help the gleeful note in his voice. Hux chuckled and seemed about to reply when he stopped. Kylo, hearing the sounds of blaster fire that had caught Hux’s attention, stopped for only a second before running hell for leather in their direction. He got to the doorway that lead down to the subterranean bar, taking his lightsaber and igniting without even thinking. A flash of orange behind him told him Hux had done the same. Patrons were barrelling out of the bar and they both struggled to get through them until they found themselves in the bar. Kasha was surrounded, her back to the rear wall. She was holding off a semi-circle of attackers, deflecting the blaster fire deftly.

Hux and Kylo exchanged a grin and then waded in to help her. Kylo felt the familiar rush of adrenaline as he fought, the mercenaries putting up fierce resistance. He threw out a hand and three of them were lifted off the ground and slammed into the wall next to where Kasha was standing. Next to him, Hux was taking down the three on his own side, his elegant strikes easily dodging the blaster fire until the mercenaries lay at his feet.

The smoke was thick but it was starting to clear as Kylo powered down his lightsabre and walked to where Kasha was standing. She did the same and looked at him.

‘Someone squealed. The person I was supposed to be meeting never showed and then this lot walked in.’ she said. ‘These are Hutt mercs. Time to go.’ She looked from him to Hux. ‘You get a ship?’

‘Yes.’ Hux said. ‘We did.’

‘Good.’ Kasha clipped her lightsaber back onto her belt. ‘Go get it. We need to dust off this shithole and get the kriff out of here.’


	28. Ánrothán

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Getting the hell off of Jakku.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am totally stealing the idea that Hux's native language is Gaelic from [thecopperriver](thecopperriver.tumblr.com), author of the excellent [Alleycat](http://archiveofourown.org/works/7115560). It's seriously good so pop in and have a read!!!

They ran out into the brilliant sunshine and Kasha stopped so short, Kylo and then Hux barrelled into her.

‘Kriff!’ she hissed. ‘Look.’ There were two groups of what appeared to be angry mercenaries coming at them from both sides.

‘Why?’ Hux was outraged. ‘Do they have a tracking device on you?’’I may be slightly more notorious than I have let on.’ Kasha replied, looking from one group to the other. ‘Right, you two head to the shipyard and get off planet.’ She looked at Kylo. ‘Set a course for Svivren. It’s on the way and we’ll rendezvous there.’

‘Okay.’ Kylo was already hotfooting it across to a narrow alley that ran between the low buildings and Hux swore and ran after him. He could hear that some of the mercs were now in pursuit and put his head down and ran. To his surprise, Kylo seemed to know where he was going, a sharp contrast to the last time they had been on the run.

‘How do you know where we’re going?’ he yelled at him.

_I just know. Keep up._

Hux bit back a retort. They came out into the central space where the market was and Kylo charged across the open ground in the direction of the shipyard with Hux on his heels. Thankfully they both had long legs and made good time. Hux even had a second to smirk as the Toydarian saw them coming and disappeared inside his scrap metal shelter. They ducked down behind a pile of ship modules as blaster fire started to sound behind them.

‘Persistent bastards.’ Hux huffed. Hus drew his own blaster, popped up and let off a volley of shots. There were a few pained cries and Kylo grinned at him.

‘You’ll have to tell me where you learned to shoot like that one day.’ he said, drawing his blaster as well.

‘I warn you. It’s not a particularly interesting story.’ Hux said. They ducked as a shot kicked up a shower of sparks over them.

‘I don’t know.’ Kylo was grinning. He turned and fired over the modules and there was another shriek.

‘Where did you learn to shoot?’ Hux asked. He repeated his earlier move and smiled when he heard swearing from the opposing side.

‘My father taught me.’ Kylo said without thinking as he fired. Then he realised what he’d just said and fell back down. ‘Kriff…’

‘Time for reflection later I think.’ Hux said. ‘Once we’re off planet. Then you can wallow in your self-loathing all you want but right now we need to go.’

‘Fine.’ Kylo got into a crouching position. ‘When I say run, get to the ship.’

‘Oh you’re the master of strategy now, are you?’ Hux sniped. Kylo glared at him and he huffed. ‘Fine, try not to get your arse shot off.’

‘I never do.’ Kylo said and then got up and let loose a volley of shots that had the mercs diving behind anything they could find for shelter. Hux holstered his and scrambled to his feet, putting his head down and running into the maze of ships. Behind him he felt a massive surge in the Force. Unable to stop stifle his curiosity he looked back and watched in amazement from behind a ship’s landing gear. Kylo had all the modules they had been hiding behind floating in the air in front of them. He stood there, blaster still in hand and the other outstretched as he controlled the modules and Hux felt the energy around him swell. Then he made a small gesture and all the modules went hurtling through the air towards the mercenaries. Then he turned and ran towards Hux.

‘I thought I told you to get to the ship?’ he yelled, running right past him. Hux fell in behind him, thanking the stars that he also had long legs and could keep up. They zigged and zagged through the ships, hearing the angry shouts of the mercenaries now in pursuit. They made it and Kylo slammed the door control with his fist as they ran past, up and into the ship even as the ramp was still descending.

‘Go!’ Hux shouted at him, slamming the interior control and crouching down with his blaster drawn while the ramp started to come up. ‘Get the bloody ship started! And put the kriffing shields up!’

‘I know!’ Kylo bellowed back at him, crashing through like a rancor in an escape pod. Hux waited until he saw the first mercenaries brave enough to stick their heads around the corner and started firing, making them fall back behind the ship next to him.

Kylo ran through the ship, skidding as he got to the cockpit and almost falling on his face. He threw himself into the pilot’s chair and went purely on instinct as he ran through the start up. The engines made a sick sounding noise and he winced.

‘Come on.’ he hissed through gritted teeth, his fingers dancing over the controls as muscle memory kicked in. The terminal was pretty much the same as the Falcon’s and he had been adept at flying her. There was a low hum as the terminal lit up and he resisted the urge to punch the air in triumph. It was something that Ben had liked to do, and he wasn’t Ben anymore.

‘Kriff!’ Hux came hurtling into the cockpit. ‘Get the shields up now!’

‘Trying!’ Kylo snapped. ‘But it takes a while. I have no idea when this ship was last flown.’ Thankfully just as he said that there was the sound of the systems waking up and the blaster fire from the mercs was suddenly deflected. He gave Hux a smug grin and Hux glared back. Then the engines came to life with a sharp whine and they both looked back in the direction of the engine room.

‘Kriff!’ Hux got to his feet and ran out and Kylo looked back at the mercenaries who had now gathered in a crowd and were firing away at the shields. He was about to see if he could turn the ventral gun on them when the whine changed into the sound of the engine powering up and he punched in the flight sequence. The ship lurched to port as it lifted off the ground and then it seemed to finally hit its stride and Kylo was thrown back into his seat as it accelerated, leaving the ground and the mercenaries far behind. He broke out into slightly hysterical laughter, feeling the power of the engines surge as they picked up speed, heading straight up and out into space.

‘That was too kriffing close.’ Hux came back into the cockpit, his hair in disarray. He slumped back down into the seat next to Kylo. ‘I sincerely hope the hyperdrive is working.’ He glanced at him. ‘Where in blazes are we headed again?’

‘Svivren.’ Kylo looked at him. ‘It’s a commerce planet.’

‘I know what it is.’ Hux huffed. ‘Is it a wise idea to be going there seeing as we seem to be on the list of the galaxy’s most wanted.’

‘It will be fine.’ Kylo replied. They were in the upper reaches of the atmosphere now and the sky was rapidly darkening. ‘It’s a huge trade centre. We’ll just blend in.’

‘Ha!’ Hux looked at him. ‘So you say.’ He watched Kylo enter the co-ordinates into the navigation computer for the sublight drive. Kylo looked at him.

‘Moment of truth.’ he said.

‘Well, we’re either going to end up on the other side of the galaxy or we’ll blow up.’ Hux replied. Kylo chuckled and hit the controls. For a moment nothing happened and he was reminded of the Falcon’s engines and their tendency to fail at critical moments. But then the ship jumped forward and the stars around them crept a little closer as the ship made it to sublight speed. Without them being blown up.

He gave Hux a brilliant smile and Hux sighed.

‘All right, I concede.’ he said. ‘Now how long to get there once we engage the hyperdrive?’

‘About seventy-two hours.’ Kylo replied.

‘Oh, wonderful.’ Hux said. ‘You do realise we have nothing to eat, and Millicent is on a completely different ship.’

‘Eldrine and Kasha will look after her. And there’s bound to be emergency rations in the escape pod.’ Kylo replied and then grinned. ‘And you’re failing to realise something quite important.’

‘And what would that be?’ Hux asked, his tone as dry as Jakku had just been.

‘We’re on a ship.’ Kylo said. ‘Our ship. Ours. And there’s no-one else here with us. We have seventy-two hours to do nothing but enjoy each other’s company.’ He laughed as Hux leaned back in his seat, a resigned look on his face.

‘Kriffing hell.’ He looked back up at Kylo. ‘Guess it’s definitely too late to turn back now.’

‘You’re only just realising that?’ Kylo laughed. Then he did something that surprised even himself. He reached over and took the hand that was resting on Hux’s knee. Hux stared down at it and then threaded his fingers through Kylo’s, the grip now firm and secure.

‘If you’re going to do it, do it properly.’ he said and Kylo snickered.

‘Yes General.’ he replied.

***********

The meal in Melik’s quarters was lavish and Corvis happily indulged himself, feeding tidbits to D’jell who was now lying at his feet and staring at him intently. They were all sprawled around the sunken seating area.

‘Your mother has had the Hutts hopping these last few months.’ Melik was roaring with laughter as he recounted how Oluru’s ongoing battle for the Outer Rim was going.

‘She does enjoy being contrary.’ Bhutara had a resting Mosh’s head in her lap, gently stroking his lekku. ‘And now the objective is that much closer, I think we will all start to see the results of all these years of work.’

‘I don’t like the idea of working with those slimy tubes of scum, but we do need them.’ Corvis said. ‘If any kind of united Outer Rim is to work, we will have to co-operate. As much as we dislike the idea.’ Melik nodded.

‘I agree.’ he said, but was then interrupted by a man who had just come in the room.

‘Melik.’ he said. ‘Adaoma has just landed. And she has some interesting news.’ Melik looked at Corvis, eyebrows raised.

‘Interesting indeed.’ he remarked.

They left Bhutara and Mosh behind and Corvis followed his uncle to the hangars that surrounded the complex. He hadn’t seen his cousin in quite some time and was looking forward to their reunion. When they got there he saw her ship, a YT 2400 named the Harbinger, had docked and the landing ramp was coming down even as they approached. Adaoma followed soon after, her dark skin and black eyes marking her as one of their own. Her long hair was streaked with blue and intricately braided and piled in a knot on top of her head and she wore the usual Corellian garb. Her smile grew wide as she saw Corvis and she came to him first, hugging him tightly.

‘Hello cousin.’ she said. ‘I was hoping to see you here.’ She let him go and embraced Melik. ‘Ada.’

‘You look like someone who’s just managed to sneak out a ton of spice without paying duty.’ Melik said. ‘What’s this interesting news?’

Adaoma looked back at her ship. Her second in command was coming down the ramp, blaster drawn and with him were four people, all dressed in a collection of dubious clothing and wearing binders that secured their wrists in front of them.

‘You wanted to know if anyone was asking questions.’ she said. ‘This lot weren’t just asking questions, they were making quite a lot of noise about those two runaways of ours. We followed them across four systems before we finally cornered them.’

Corvis looked at the detainees. The one in front had the air of a leader. She was statuesque and pale, her almost white blonde hair cut military short. She fixed a pair of icy deep blue eyes on him and he felt the urge to stand a little taller himself. The others were less impressive, two men and another woman. The other three were also pale, their pallid skins indicative of a life spent aboard a starship. The taller of the men was also the younger, dark hair and light brown eyes contrasting with his companion’s much darker colouring. The woman was steely eyed and her brown hair was braided around her head.

‘Now then.’ Melik said, walking up to the tall woman and facing off against her. Corvis was impressed to see she didn’t even blink. ‘And who are you exactly.’

‘My name is Captain Alissa Phasma formerly of the First Order.’ she replied, her voice as authoritative as her bearing. ‘And I am looking for my General.’

*********

They had been a good distance from the planet when Kylo had tried engaging the hyperdrive. Predictably it didn’t work. It had started well enough but the sound of the drive initialising suddenly wound down, and the ship hadn’t moved at all. Hux had looked at him, one eyebrow raised.

‘All right.’ Kylo had muttered, checking his controls. ‘Don’t look at me like that, just go fix the kriffing thing.’

It was why he was now seated on one of the workbenches in the engine compartment, legs dangling and eating an out of date protein bar from the ship’s emergency supplies and watching Hux work on the hyperdrive. There was an awful lot of swearing going on.

‘Next time, I do the bloody choosing.’ Hux said, waving a wrench at him. ‘We need to go on more than just ‘We’ll be happy on her.’’ He huffed and pushed his hair out of his eyes and Kylo smiled. In spite of their predicament and the fact that they were now just aimlessly drifting through space, he felt stupidly happy and Hux’s work on the drive was proving to hit every button he had. He had always secretly harboured a thing for Hux’s competence, his icy detachment in the face of adversity. Now he had a more human version, watching him fix their ship. It was doing strange things to his hormones. He nudged Hux in the ribs with his boot and Hux looked at him and swiped at the offending foot. ‘If you aren’t going to be useful, then go away Ren. I am busy.’ Kylo gave him an exaggerated sigh and held out a protein bar from the pile next to him.

‘You need to take a break.’ he said. ‘You’ve been doing that for an hour.’

‘And I’ll continue doing it until it’s fixed.’ Hux waved the protein bar away. ‘I don’t plan on starving to death in deep space and I’ll starve before I eat one of those things. You have no idea how long they’ve been there.’

‘Fine.’ Kylo hopped off the workbench. ‘I’m going back to the cockpit if you’re going to be in a mood.’ He stalked off and went down the corridor and back to the cockpit. The regular engines would serve fine to get them to another planet, but they wanted to be on the other side of the galaxy. He sat down and stared out into the darkness and let his mind wander. Eventually he hit on an idea and commed into the engine room.

‘Hux?’

‘What?’ There was a distinctly chilly tone in Hux’s voice and it made Kylo grin. He’d always loved bringing out that reaction.

‘You know she doesn’t have a name.’ he said and there was silence on the other side. ‘I thought maybe you’d have a suggestion.’

‘No.’ Hux said flatly and cut the comm.

*********

‘So let me get this straight.’ Corvis said. ‘You are telling me that you narrowly escaped the destruction of Starkiller, then mutinied and stole the ship that has been pretty much terrorising the galaxy for the past five years and took her on a joyride to try and track down Hux?’ He was astounded. Phasma nodded. Her expression was perfectly neutral and Corvis found himself wondering if she ever lost control. The other three were far more unsettled.

‘We did.’ she replied. ‘Unfortunately Snoke decided that he rather wanted her back and we were arrested. Thankfully, he didn’t count on the general incompetence of the officers he put in charge and we were able to escape in a shuttle and slowly start making our way across to where the General and Lord Ren had last been spotted.’ Corvis looked at Melik. Melik grinned back.

They had released their captives from their binders and now they were all sitting together. Melik had had more food and drink bought in, preferring a stealth attack, and Corvis had been rather surprised to see that three of the four had almost visibly relaxed when they seemed to realise they were not to be harmed.

Not Phasma though. Corvis knew what he was looking at, a soldier through and through. Hux had divulged a little in their travels about the people under his command and he’d had nothing but praise for the woman now sitting and regarding him coolly across the low table.

‘My question is why.’ he said and she tilted her head slightly.

‘The answer to that is simply that we do not wish to be in the First Order as it is now.’ she replied. ‘General Hux was always an honourable commander who put the wellbeing of his officers and troops first. The destruction of Starkiller has thrown Snoke into a frenzy and the abduction of Lord Ren has not helped matters in the slightest.’

‘But Hux left you to your fates.’ Corvis said, testing the waters.

‘No.’ The dark haired man, Mitaka, said. ‘The General made sure that all hands were briefed and instructed to leave the base under any means necessary. He only left the bridge because The Supreme Leader commanded him to.’ It was an unexpected outburst. Corvis looked at Phasma for confirmation and she nodded.

‘It’s true that I was left to find my own way off planet.’ She said. ‘But I would have done the same to him if our roles were reversed. And it’s not as if he knew where I was.’ She sighed and for the first time emotion seemed to leak into her expression. Her mouth quirked in a sardonic smile. ‘I have no doubt that all of the events of that day would never have been believed if they had been relayed before time.’

No.’ Melik said. He glanced at Corvis and Adaoma. ‘It’s had far reaching repercussions.’

‘Snoke is no longer fit to lead.’ The other woman, Unamo, was stern. ‘Since Starkiller fell he has gone mad. His decisions in how the fleet has been despatched and his insistence that should we find the General he be executed is something that we could not be a part of.’ She was flushed and then seemed to realise that her outburst had everyone looking at her.

‘What Unamo is trying to say is that we all felt the Snoke taking control of the fleet was bad for all concerned. Sadly, the number of people that agreed with us was particularly small.’ Phasma said. ‘And many of those that initially supported out efforts to find the General turned against us and that was how we came to be arrested. Something had to be done.’

‘So you made your escape and then what?’ Corvis asked. ‘You were going to try and find Hux and Kylo all by yourselves?’

‘Something like that.’ The other man, Thanisson, said. ‘We may have underestimated how difficult that turned out to be.’

‘But why?’ Corvis asked. ‘I understand going awol from the First Order, but then why not simply disappear? The Unknown regions had any number of places to vanish into.’

‘I thought that would be obvious.’ Phasma said. ‘We followed the General not because he was our commanding officer but because we believed in his leadership. Without that, we cannot be a part of the First Order anymore and would much rather throw our lot in with him.’

‘Really?’ Corvis looked at Melik and grinned. ‘Now isn’t that interesting.’

********

Kylo was bored. It had been three hours since Hux had started working on the hyperdrive and every time he went to go check on his progress Hux had chased him off when he’d become ‘too distracting’. He was now sulking in the cockpit, making his lightsaber float through the air to occupy himself and considering eating another protein bar when Hux commed him.

‘I think I may have it.’ he said. ‘Try now.’

Kylo re-entered the navigation sequence and then started the hyperdrive engines. This time it sounded far healthier and then the ship lurched a little and made the jump to light speed. He was astounded and looked back as Hux came into the cockpit, grease on his hands and a smile on his face.

‘You’re a genius.’ Kylo said and the smile became bizarrely abashed.

‘Well, I did study advanced engineering at the academy.’ Hux said. ‘It seemed logical that if one is commanding a starship one should at least have some inkling of how it works.’

‘Well, we’re on course.’ Kylo said. ‘Now can we do something a little more diverting?’

‘Yes.’ Hux said. ‘Come on.’ He turned and left the cockpit. Kylo grinned and followed him.

**********

‘So what do we do with them?’ Melik asked and Corvis grinned.

‘Throw them in the mix.’ he said. ‘Imagine what kind of advantage we’d have with them on our side. Hux told me that Phasma was in charge of the stormtroopers. She’ll have info on weapons, training, troop capabilities. It will be very very useful.’

‘But can she be trusted?’ Adaoma asked. They all looked at Bhutara, who had sat with Mosh and observed the exchange.

‘I think so.’ she replied. ‘I sensed no duplicity from her, although her feelings are extremely controlled. The others certainly were telling the truth. They were also very afraid.’

‘Of us?’ Melik asked and she shook her head.

‘No. Of Snoke. Of what they are running from, and believe me they are most definitely running. They all seemed to be under the impressions that their arrest would lead to their eventual execution and I can’t imagine anyone that declared themselves to be a Hux loyalist would be allowed to get off lightly.’ she said. ‘But there’s something else as well, a dread underneath everything. While they have been truthful in what they have told us, I do not think they have told us everything.’

‘I say keep them close.’ Mosh rumbled. ‘Keep an eye on them.’

‘I agree.’ Corvis said and looked at Melik.

‘All right then.’ he replied. ‘Looks like they’re going with you.’

**********

Kylo huffed in annoyance.

He’d expected something a little more entertaining. Instead what he’d got was a very old data pad (discovered in a storage locker) shoved into his hands and a stern instruction to follow.

‘I’m not a damn quartermaster, Hux.’ he grumbled as they left the living area.

‘We need to know what we’ve got on this ship.’ Hux said. ‘And the best way to do that is with a thorough inventory.’

They had come across some interesting things. The previous owners of the shop had obviously been either coerced into leaving with only the clothes on their backs or possibly did not live long enough to bequeath any of their belongings. The galley was well stocked with cooking equipment and the workshops had tools and spare parts in abundance which was how Hux had managed to fix the hyperdrive. The emergency stocks in the escape pod were proving to be most useful in staving off hunger. All the basic systems were functioning and there was a full med kit and they discovered a medical bunk on one of the holds. Hux’s frown had smoothed out as they made progress with him making Kylo tap out the list of all the equipment they actually had.

‘See.’ Kylo couldn’t resist bragging just a little. ‘I told you this was the right ship for us.’

‘She’s certainly worth her money.’ Hux said thoughtfully. They were now at the hatch to the sleeping quarters and he opened it and went inside, Kylo in tow. ‘Start in the ‘fresher. I am going to have a look in the storage lockers.’

Kylo glared at him but went. The ‘fresher was fairly standard with a sonic shower, toilet and basin. There was also a med kit on the wall and he opened it to do a quick check of the contents. It was while he was doing that that he came across something that made him grin. He grabbed it and went back into the room. Hux was standing in front of a storage locker frowning.

‘They left all their clothes behind as well.’ he said, his mouth twisted in distaste. ‘We’re going to have to get rid of everything.’ He turned and then the frown deepened as he saw the intent of Kylo’s face. ‘What are you doing?’

‘Shut up Hux.’ Kylo said, chucking the datapad onto a shelf in the locker and slamming it shut. Then he got hold of him by the front of his shirt and steered him backwards towards the bed, ignoring Hux’s squawk of protest.

‘But it’s unsanitary!’ he said and Kylo snorted and shoved him so he landed on the bed.

‘I don’t give a kriff.’ he replied and climbed on top of him, taking the medical grade lube out of his back pocket and throwing it on the bed next to him. Hux was already starting to sit up, but Kylo didn’t give him any room to move. He launched himself at him, straddling Hux’s thighs and getting hold of his face in his hands.

‘Ren…’Hux got only the one word out before Kylo kissed him. He could feel Hux’s conflicting feelings, his desire for Kylo battling against his almost genetic predisposition towards order and list making. He decided to increase the stakes and dragged his tongue over Hux’s mouth. That did it, Hux’s resistance melting away as he opened his mouth for him, responding to the kiss with his own explorations of Kylo’s mouth. Kylo pressed him into the bed, then pulled away long enough to reach back and pull of his shirt. Hux watched him and then turned his head to the side and located the lube. He peered at the date at the side.

‘Ren.’ he said. ‘This expired ages ago.’

‘Not listening. ‘Kylo replied, tugging at the hem of Hux’s shirt. ‘Now take your kriffing clothes off.’ He wriggled, hoping to get Hux’s attention.

‘Unsanitary.’ Hux repeated but his pupils were dilating steadily and Kylo could feel his arousal building. He growled a little and dragged Hux up long enough to work his shirt over his head and chuck it somewhere on the floor then shove him back down.

‘I love looking at you.’ he said, running both hands down Hux’s smooth chest, the pale freckled skin dragging under his fingertips where he made them into claws. ‘You’re so perfectly put together.’

‘My father used to berate me for being too small, too weak.’ Hux replied. He was looking up at Kylo, green eyes impossible to read.

‘Not small.’ Kylo replied. He traced both delicate pink nipples with his thumbs and felt Hux draw in a sharp breath underneath him. ‘And most certainly not weak.’ He looked at him. ‘You are one of the strongest people I have ever encountered. Your force of will is extraordinary. I felt it that very first time I came aboard the Finalizer. I felt it every time you confronted me, every time you didn’t back down in the face of my anger. And now that you are learning to use your strength, I find it intoxicating.’

‘That’s an awfully flowery speech.’ Hux was smiling, sharp and with just a hint of cynicism. ‘I do approve.’

‘You should.’ Kylo returned the smile. He was horribly aroused now, all the energy sparking between them fuelling his need for Hux to ride him into the bed. Hux reached for him, hands on Kylo’s thighs.

‘If that’s what you want.’ he said and the challenging glint in his eyes set Kylo’s blood on fire. He squeezed, digging his fingers in. ‘I want to watch your face while I do it.’ Kylo laughed and climbed off him, clothes and boots flying in all directions until he was stark naked and standing in front of Hux with what he knew was a very enthusiastic expression. Hux was sitting up and leaning back on his hands as he gave Kylo the once over.

‘I think the biggest crime of you being mixed up with Snoke was the fact that you hid all of that under so many layers.’ he said.

‘Are you saying that if I hadn’t, this might have happened sooner?’ Kylo tried to make his voice a sultry purr but he was far too excited and ending up bounding onto the bed and grabbing for Hux’s pants, hard cock waving like a flagpole in a strong wind.

‘You are entirely ridiculous.’ Hux said watching his hands at work. ‘And no. Even in the face of such a magnificent physique I’m afraid that your obnoxious behaviour would probably still have held me at bay.’

‘Liar.’ Kylo leaned down and ran his tongue along Hux’s collar bone, all the while still trying to get his pants undone. Eventually he realised that trying to kiss Hux’s neck and get to his objective was proving difficult.

‘For kriff’s sake.’ Hux batted his hands away. ‘Let me get undressed.’

Kylo moved off him, lying down on his back with his hands behind his head. He admired his own cock for a moment, standing tall and proud, and then looked back down in time to see Hux straighten up, now as naked as he was. He gave a happy sigh.

‘You are so lovely.’ he said and Hux snorted.

‘And you are still ridiculous.’ he replied, searching for the tube of lube and lobbing it at him before climbing back onto the bed. Kylo laid the tube to one side and grabbed Hux to pull him on top of him, mindless of the protest. He kissed him, and Hux melted against him. Kylo smiled against his mouth and took his time, their tongues wrapped in a lazy dance. By the time he let Hux come up for air, they were both breathless.

‘I have an idea.’ he said and Hux raised an eyebrow at him, a smile paying about his lips.

‘Do you now?’ he said and Kylo shoved him off and face down into the bed. Hux struggled just enough to ensure that Kylo had to hold him down, one broad hand at the back of Hux’s neck.

‘Stay there.’ He ordered and felt Hux shiver under his hand. Then he removed it and braced himself, one hand either side of Hux as he leaned in and dragged his tongue up Hux’s elegantly curved spine.

‘Stars.’ Hux’s voice was soft and rough. ‘You do make a production out of things.’ Kylo chuckled and did it again, then punctuated it with a bite to the back of Hux’s neck.

‘You love it when I make a production out of things.’ he replied and stared kissing his way back down. Hux was panting softly now, little puffs of breath that drove Kylo wild. He got to the slope of his backside and waited, stroking over Hux with one hand and letting his fingers drift dangerously close to his objective. ‘I am going to lick you open until you scream and when I am done you’re going to sit on my cock and ride me until we both go mad.’

‘I think we’re more than halfway there already.’ Hux replied, barely lifting his head. It was shoved back down again by an invisible hand and that got an outraged noise that made Kylo grin. He got further down the bed and then opened Hux up and licked over in him in one broad stroke before he could retaliate. The dense musky taste of Hux’s skin set every nerve on fire.

‘Oh you utter bastard.’ Hux moaned into the bed, spreading his legs to give Kylo better access. ‘Come on.’ He arched back into the next lick and Kylo spread his fingers over the small of his back, marvelling at the small span of Hux’s waist.

He worked him slowly, alternating the long slow movements of his tongue with small flicks and the occasional finger until Hux was being very vocal in his appreciation. Kylo waited for his moans to go up once more in pitch and then speared his tongue into him. Hux actually shouted, shoving himself back into Kylo’ face.

‘Enough.’ he managed to pant. ‘Get inside me. NOW.’

‘Bossy.’ Kylo said, getting back up onto his knees.

It was the wrong thing to say.

The next thing he knew he was flat on his back, pinned in place by a smiling Hux. The thing was though, he wasn’t even holding Kylo down.

Not with his hands anyway.

‘Hey.’ Kylo said, his brain finally managing to divert enough blood flow back to itself for him to realise what was going on. ‘You can’t do that.’

‘Watch me.’ Hux had a wicked twinkle in his eyes. He extended his hand and Kylo felt a small surge in the Force as the tube of lube levitated off the bed and into his waiting palm. He stared at Hux, open-mouthed. Hux gave him a smug look and opened the lube. He emptied a considerable amount into his hand and then took hold of Kylo’s cock, stroking up and down until it was slick. He kept his touch light and Kylo squirmed against the Force hold that had him restrained. To his surprise any efforts he was making were completely ineffective.

‘You’re going to regret this.’ he growled and Hux laughed.

‘Maybe I will and maybe I won’t.’ He was reaching back now with his lubed hand and Kylo craned his neck just in time to see Hux sink two fingers into himself, moaning as his head tipped back.

‘You’re a kriffing tease.’ he hissed and Hux opened his eyes and looked down at him. Then he got hold of Kylo’s cock and sank down onto him in one sinuous movement, making Kylo yelp at the sudden rush of heat through him that threatened to make him go crosseyed. He still couldn’t move and it was so arousing that he wasn’t sure if he even wanted to.

Then Hux started to move.

It wasn’t like anything they’d done so far. They had discovered that they both enjoyed being in control of things, but Kylo was definitely starting to see the merits of what they were doing, especially when Hux planted both hands flat against Kylo’s chest to brace himself and the lifted until he was almost all the way out before dropping back down, making them both yell.

‘What are you doing?’ Kylo could hear he was whining but he was so far gone he didn’t give a kriff how he sounded. Hux was a delicious tight heat around him, his every move making him tighten around Kylo’s cock. It was very hard to breathe and focus.

‘Putting you in your place.’ Hux was picking up speed, his graceful rise and fall turning into something more frenzied. He leaned back, hands now on Kylo’s thighs and started to go hard, driving Kylo deep inside him and angled so his cock hit his prostate on every thrust down. Above them, the lights started to flicker madly.

‘Hux.’ Kylo was pretty sure he’d never feel anything so good in his life, but at the rate they were going he was never going to last. ‘You need to take it down a bit.’

‘Kriff off!’ Hux was now bucking wildly, his face contorted in pleasure. ‘Just lie there and kriffing take it!’

Kylo gave up. He closed his eyes and let Hux use him as he wanted, the force of his climax astounding as it hit him right in the balls and pretty much everywhere and he shouted his way through it as loudly as he wanted to. Over him, Hux was there as well, coming all over Kylo’s stomach without so much as laying a hand on himself, making a couple of the overhead lights pop and go out. The convulsive clenching of his body drew Kylo’s own orgasm out with him and he lay there, now completely insensible, and let the endorphins roll in over him. He glanced up and saw that Hux was a mess, cheeks flushed and eyes far too bright when their gazes locked. He tested his arms and found that the Force hold was gone. He sat up and got hold of Hux, pulling him down onto his chest and stroking back the hair from his face.

‘I’m starting to think you’re as crazy as I am.’ he said and Hux grinned at him.

‘Crazier.’ he replied. ‘But I hide it better than you do.’

*********

‘We left in a rush.’ Phasma said to Corvis. They were in a set of rooms that had been given over to the visitors for their use. ‘Obviously we had to leave in our uniforms so we have had to make use of fairly nefarious means to obtain a change of clothing.’

‘I understand.’ Corvis said. In spite of himself he found himself starting to like this stern faced woman. He had just escorted her to the room she would be staying in. ‘Tomorrow we can start getting things sorted. For the time being you’ll be in my custody and you will be coming with me when we leave.’

‘And you’ll take us to Hux?’ Phasma asked. It was the first time she’d used his name and Corvis turned to her.

‘Why did you really leave the Order?’ he asked. Phasma seemed to weigh up her options and then sighed. She walked over to the bed and sat down, her shoulders slumping.

‘He’s my friend.’ she replied. ‘When we were on our first deployment, we looked out for each other as far as we could and he’s always been a good commander.’ She looked up at him. ‘Snoke wanted to kill him. The order for his execution came through not an hour after he discovered that Hux had absconded with Ren. I think he always meant to execute him. I wasn’t privy to the command he received to return Ren to the Citadel but if I had I would have insisted on going with him.’

‘And the others?’ Corvis asked.

‘They feel the same to some degree.’ Phasma replied. Her eyes were intent. ‘He’s all right, isn’t he?’

‘He’s all right.’ Corvis replied. ‘But he’s changed somewhat.’ Phasma frowned.

‘Changed?’ she asked and Corvis nodded.

‘Him and Ren both.’ he said, grinning at her. ‘It’s probably going to come as something of a surprise to you.’

‘Quite frankly, after what we’ve just done nothing could surprise me.’ Phasma said. “I have been loyal to the First Order my entire life. It was something that I never thought I would leave behind.’ She looked at Corvis. ‘Unamo is right when she says that Snoke has become mad.’

‘I don’t really think ‘become’ is the right word.’ Corvis said. ‘I think you’ll find that the galaxy has a very different view of what the First Order has been up to.’ He walked to the door and then turned. ‘And hopefully the fact that you’re here means you’ve started to realise this too.’ He left her still sitting there and stepped out of the door. ‘Watch that one.’ The guard at Phasma’s door nodded and Corvis walked away, his mind buzzing with how he could turn what had happened to his advantage.

*********

Several hours later, Hux was now worn out. He lay on his side, one hand on Kylo’s bare chest and their legs tangled together. Kylo had his eyes closed and his breathing was deep and steady.

‘You asked if I had any ideas.’ Hux said and got a questioning noise. ‘About the ship.’

‘Yeah?’ Kylo turned opened his eyes, the hazel deep and still. ‘What were you thinking?’

‘My mother’s planet had a legend about a man who was taken into captivity. He laboured under it for many years until one day he left his body behind and flew towards the sun.’ Hux said. Kylo watched him. Hux seldom spoke about his life before the First Order and never about his life before that if he could help it.

‘Is that what you feel we are like?’ he asked and Hux nodded.

‘I do.’ he reached out and traced the line of Kylo’s eyebrow with his forefinger. ‘But more than that we have both been through a transformation.’

‘What was he called? This man who changed his fate?’ Kylo asked, catching the finger and kissing the tip of it.

‘Ánrothán.’ Hux replied. ‘It means Sun Traveller in my mother’s language.’

‘Do you speak it?’ Kylo asked.

‘I haven’t for many years.’ Hux replied. ‘But some of it I still remember.’

‘What was your mother like?’ Kylo asked, not sure if he would get an answer.

‘Beautiful.’ Hux said. ‘Not just her face but her soul. She was the kindest person I have ever met and it broke me the day my father took me away from her. I don’t even know if she’s still alive.’ He looked at Kylo. ‘I’m sorry. Mothers are probably a bit of a sore point.’

‘Not to mention fathers.’ Kylo found himself replying. Hux looked at him and snorted softly with laughter.

‘You are amusing at the oddest times.’ he said and rolled over onto his front to kiss Kylo gently. ‘My strange beautiful knight.’

‘Not a knight anymore.’ Kylo breathed against his mouth and Hux smiled.

‘Yes, you are.’ he replied and kissed him again.


	29. Test

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Things happen in unexpected ways.

_Kylo opened his eyes and looked around him. He was back in the clearing on Starkiller, but this time the sky above him was on fire, gold and red as the planet met its end. All around him the snow continued to fall but now it was joined by flakes of ash and there was no comforting presence that would indicate Hux being there to save him this time, neither were there any grey shapes in the treeline. Instead all he could hear was a low monotonous chant in his head, one he was all too familiar with._

_Kylo drew himself up. He wasn’t wounded or weakened as he had been in his previous dream. He was robed and helmeted and he felt different, stronger. It was like he’d felt when he was still Snoke’s apprentice, the darkness flowing through him and making him invincible. He looked down at the lightsabre in his hand and saw it was his old one, the external wiring unmistakable. He ignited it and raised the crackling blade, the unstable plasma flickering red like the inside of the Starkiller cannon._

_The chant in his head increased in volume and Kylo looked into the trees and saw the figures starting to approach, black against the dim light. There were six once more, and he knew without a doubt that Snoke had recruited from among his acolytes of Force sensitives to fill the places of the two he and Kasha had killed. They stepped forward and their voices swelled and resounded in his head, hypnotising him into stillness. These were his Knights, chosen largely by his hand and trained to use their powers but never usurp him. He’d fed off their power, using it to increase his own._

_They circled him, drawing closer and he straightened up. Their thoughts were starting to bleed through his consciousness, their strange hive like way of speaking coalescing into individual words._

_Come back to us._  
_You are our Master._  
_We are waiting for your return._  
_We serve at your will._  
_Your place is with us._

_The two newest did not speak, and their unfamiliar minds hovered at the edge of his thoughts._

_‘They are yours, Kylo Ren.’ Snokes voice came out of nowhere, right next to his ear. Kylo started, whirling around as memories of Snoke doing that to him came flooding back. He had done it many times in those first fraught years when Ben had fallen and Kylo had been born. It has kept him on edge, confused and frightened with his every sense trained for the smallest sound. He recognised it now for what it was, a form of conditioning that had made him biddable. This hyperawareness had had its effects and he’d always been quick to lash out after that._

_He had expected Snoke to be behind him, but the hooded figure of his former master was on the other side of the clearing. He did not raise his hood, simply stood there as still as a statue. He was unnerved, the old fear creeping back, but underneath it all he felt something else. Hux was still there in the back of his mind and Kylo clung to the cool detachment that came from him. It gave him strength and composure and he extinguished his lightsaber and hooked it back on his belt. He focused in on Hux and the chanting diminished, becoming nothing more than a distant murmur as he drew on the calm he found and reasserted his self-control. He lifted his hands and depressed the catches of his helmet, lifting it off and discarding it in the snow. Snoke made no move to reveal his face and Kylo took a deep breath and closed his eyes. He drew in on himself, wrapping his mind around the part that was Hux. He let Hux’s calm filter into his own emotions until he was breathing steadily and once more himself, the self he had become since crawling out from under Snoke’s yoke. He opened his eyes and looked down at himself to see that he was now dressed in his smuggler’s clothes. He extended his hand and the lightsabre on his belt leaped into it as he commanded it to come to him, and he ignited it. The blade lit up the air around him, the black core and violet plasma blade perfectly formed. He could feel the strength in it, the crystal that had called to him, and how it bore his power. He looked up, dark eyes flashing defiantly and raised it into a defensive stance. Snoke hissed and waved a pale hand at him._

_‘This is not your true face, Kylo Ren.’ he said. ‘This is not who you are meant to be.’_

_‘This is as much me as anything else had been.’ Kylo replied. ‘This is the person I was meant to become. I understand that now. I do not belong to the Light or the Dark. I am not the Paduwan of Luke Skywalker but I am also not your apprentice. Only one person has any claim to me now and I will be wearing this face until I die.’ Snoke scoffed at him._

_‘Your new allies are as weak as you are proving yourself to be.’ He sneered. ‘I will destroy them just as surely as I will destroy you and that traitor that took you from me. I will not rest until his head lies at my feet.’_

_‘You will not touch him.’ Kylo let his anger bubble up, not bothering to hide it. ‘I will kill you before I let you hurt him.’_

_‘So sentimental.’ Snoke’s voice was laced with contempt. ‘I taught you better than that. Emotional ties weaken you, make you susceptible to fear.’_

_‘No.’ Kylo shook his head. ‘I understand things a lot better now. Hux is what will save me. You told me there was no-one worthy of me, but you were wrong. You’re the one who’s unworthy of my attentions. Hux is the first person to want me for who I am and not what I can give him.’_

_‘He will fall all the same.’ Snoke replied. ‘Your diminished power will not save your beloved general. And I will make you watch as I tear his mind apart.’_

_‘Enough!’ Kylo roared and the surge of energy from him made the surrounding Knights fall back. ‘If you are so sure of your power then come and face me yourself. Don’t send your lackeys to find me. This is between the two of us.’_

_‘My lackeys have already found you.’ Snoke chuckled, the sound as unpleasant as someone walking over old bones. ‘And soon you will be back at my side where you belong.’_

_‘They are nothing but your pawns.’ Kylo retorted. ‘Their strength came from me and now I no longer lead them.’_

_‘You are unworthy of leading them now.’ Snoke replied. ‘I am starting to realise that I made a mistake in believing that you could achieve the greatness that eluded your grandfather. You have turned out to be just as weak and easily influenced as he was.’_

_‘You knew nothing of my grandfather.’ Kylo shouted. ‘I have spoken with him and he has shown me your lies. You used my fear and insecurity against me and shut me off from him, the one person who could have helped me to understand who I was. You call me weak, but strength does not lie in breaking someone to make them fit your philosophy. And everything you have achieved has been by my hand and the hands of my Knights. You are nothing more than a leech with no real power of your own.’_

_‘If that is what you think then you will be the first to pay for your arrogance.’ Snoke hissed at him and Kylo’s temper frayed and snapped. He was enraged and he roared aloud and threw out his hand, lashing out with all his strength and throwing Snoke out of his head._

********

Kylo woke up, a feeling of dread and fury unfurling inside him. He had been dreaming, he knew that, but the details were so vivid to him it was making his shake as he battled for control of himself. He frowned and sat up then looked at Hux still asleep beside him. He drew one hand down Hux’s pale back, tracing the elegant line of his spine, and it grounded him enough to take a few steady breaths. He got up to pull on his pants and left their quarters, walking through to the cockpit barefoot and shirtless. Much of the past seventy odd hours had been uneventful apart from a threat by the engines to drop them out of light speed and which had necessitated another bout of engineering work and the accompanying profanity. He had waited patiently for Hux to finish his work before dragging him back to the bed.

But now something did not feel right and the familiar sense of darkness, one Kylo was well versed in, seemed to creep after him and lurk in the corners. All the joy of having Hux in a space where they could be together uninterrupted was being subsumed by what he’d just experienced, like a wave of chill coming into to progressively leach all of the warmth from him. He got to the cockpit and saw that they were near the end of their journey, the ship almost ready to drop out of light speed. He checked the instruments and then left the ship to continue its course so he could go get dressed.

Hux was awake when he returned, giving him a concerned look as Kylo went into the refresher. The shower made short work of the residual evidence of their activities that was clinging to him and Kylo got out and dressed in his clean set of clothing. When he came back out, Hux was still sitting up in bed. Kylo could feel his unease as clearly as his own.

‘What was that?’ he asked and Kylo sighed and came to sit down next to him. He put one hand to Hux’s cheek, thumb stroking over his mouth.

‘It’s him.’ he replied. ‘He came to me again. The Knights are here for me.’

‘On the planet?’ Hux asked and Kylo nodded.

‘I don’t know how, but he’s tracked me down. I should have known it seemed too easy.’ Kylo sighed again and looked down, despair starting to gnaw at his edges.

‘No.’ Hux said, his voice stern and Kylo looked up in surprise. ‘Don’t do that. He has no power over you other than what you give him. You’ve proven that you are strong enough to throw him off. He’s afraid now because he’s probably felt how powerful you are becoming and knows that will inevitably be directed at him. And if they are here then we simply have to work out a way to get around them.’

‘I can’t.’ Kylo said. ‘I need to take care of this. We’ve been running for nearly two months. It’s time to stop.’

‘So what do we do?’ Hux asked. ‘He said they are on the planet?’

‘Yes.’ Kylo replied. ‘He said they have found us.’

‘Well, we can’t just walk into something that is clearly a trap.’ Hux replied. ‘That’s appallingly bad strategy.’

‘I would have.’ Kylo replied. ‘Before. I wouldn’t have cared for the cost to myself.’

‘That’s because you’re a reckless idiot.’ Hux snapped. ‘But now you have me to stop you from being completely suicidal in your tendencies. And the first lesson is that you always need to have a strategy.’ He folded his arms and Kylo felt a rush of affection at how worried he was. He could feel Hux almost vibrating with it. ‘No, we should find Kasha and Eldrine first and then decide what we’re going to do. I don’t think the two of us should be taking them on alone.’ 

‘I need to do this, Hux.’ Kylo said, his voice dropping. ‘My trial is to defeat Snoke and this is the best way of getting to him. I need to start fixing what I created and the Knights were the work of my hand. I need to be the one to get rid of them. Only by exterminating them can I start on my path.’

‘You keep saying you and forgetting that I have an equal stake in this.’ Hux snapped. ‘You are not the only one with atoning to do and I will be damned before I let you run off and get yourself killed and leave me the kriff behind.’ His cheeks were colouring, green eyes sparkling with anger. ‘I won’t let you do this alone. So whatever fool plan you have, you’re going to have to count me in.’

Kylo stared at him, taken aback by his barrage and then blinked.

‘I had no idea you felt like that.’ he said and Hux huffed in annoyance and got up, throwing on his discarded clothes like they had personally offended him.

‘Well, I do.’ he said, snippy and defensive. ‘You say seven to two and I say that I don’t like those odds. And even if we manage to take them, we still have Snoke to deal with and I will not be letting you face him on your own either.’

Kylo was still in shock from the words before and now as he watched Hux declaring that he was not about to let Kylo go alone, something occurred to him. It was such a simple little thing that he was astonished he’d not thought of it before.

‘I don’t know what I would do without you.’ he blurted out and Hux stopped mid-stream and gaped at him.

‘What the kriff did you just say?’ he demanded and Kylo couldn’t stop himself from smiling as the truth of what he’d just said caught up and gave him a metaphorical slap in the face.

‘You, Hux.’ he repeated. ‘I don’t think I could bear to lose you now.’ Hux looked so perplexed that all Kylo could do was stand up and pull him close enough to kiss. He finally let him go and looked at him.

Hux looked furious.

‘You!’ he hissed. ‘How dare you say that now! When we’re about to enact some no doubt preposterously wild scheme that could very likely get us both killed!’ His voice was pitching up and Kylo could feel his energy ramping up as well, the Force around him surging and rolling like a storm sea. ‘I could bloody kill you myself!’ Then he completely contradicted everything he’d just said by grabbing Kylo by the shirt and kissing him again.

*********

Kasha looked out the window of the inn they were at, absently toying with the comlink on the table in front of her. The buildings on Svivren were all made from the same brown stone, large viewports and covered walkways making life a little more comfortable for those people who had to suffer through the humid season. Even the environmental controls of their room couldn’t quite stop the feeling that the air was saturated.

She’d stripped down to a light vest and was contemplating going to the bathroom to splash water on her face when the door opened and Eldrine came in with an assortment of containers that contained their evening meal. Millicent, who had taken up a seat of honour on the small table Kasha was sitting at, made a soft chirping noise of interest when she spotted the containers and Kasha chuckled, running her hands through the cat’s thick fur.

‘Anything?’ Eldrine asked as she set the containers down, gently batting Millicent’s questing nose away s she started to open them.

‘Not yet.’ Kasha replied. ‘It’s odd, they should have been within range to let us know they were in the system while we were coming in to land. And they should definitely have arrived by now.’ She turned to sniff appreciatively at the food Eldrine had bought. There was a thick soup filled with native vegetables and the local grain cakes that went with it. There was also a container of fried fish and Eldrine dished up a portion and set it in front of Millicent who settled into her eating pose and started to daintily consume it.

‘You’re worried.’ she rumbled. ‘I can feel it.’

‘It’s all right for you.’ Kasha replied. ‘You got the apprentice with all the sense. I got the kriffing Skywalker.’ Eldrine chuckled.

‘I think his mother might object to you calling him that.’ she replied.

‘I have learned enough history about both Anakin and Luke to recognise a Skywalker.’ Kasha replied. ‘And Mara has been invaluable in giving me all the information about that particular family. And Leia is also a Skywalker, as much as she would like to pretend that she is an Organa. She wouldn’t be running the Resistance if she wasn’t. In fact out of all of them, Leia’s the only one that hasn’t managed to implode in on themselves. And Kylo is like an unexploded piece of ordnance. No wonder they couldn’t handle him.’ She had dished up her food and was starting to tear into it.

‘You care about him.’ Eldrine said. ‘You see yourself if Mara had not taught you to be strong.’

‘What must it have been like for him?’ Kasha shook her head. ‘I remember that voice in my mind. I was terrified of Snoke. I would have done anything he asked me to.’ She sat back. ‘I was lucky. He wasn’t. He had no-one to fight for him, parents that were so ill-equipped to take him through what he was it was laughable.’ She looked at Eldrine. ‘It’s very hard not to care.’

‘You were lucky.’ Eldrine said. ‘That is true. But now Kylo has you to guide him. He has all of us. Hux too.’ She reached for the last container and opened it, offering it to Kasha. ‘Now have a pie.’ Kasha smiled at her and then took one.

‘Thank you.’ she said and the warmth coming from her made it very clear she wasn't just referring to the pie. Eldrine smiled back and placed her large hand over Kasha’s.

‘You are welcome.’ she replied.

**************

The planet was seasonal and they had come during the wet humid part of the cycle, the greens of the landscapes below lush and verdant. Kylo guided Ánrothán through the shipping lanes until they reached the outskirts if the capital city Wrils where the docking bays were set. He’d been here a few times before, missions and other errands making him a little more familiar with the lie of the land than Hux was.

Hux was next to him, both of them now dressed and ready to go down on to the surface and meet whatever was waiting for them. Kylo could sense no unease from him, only a stoicism and Hux’s calm settled him immensely. He could still feel the Knights, their pull on his consciousness getting stronger as they approached the planet. He’d had Hux mask them both so that no-one would be able to feel them coming, not the Knights but also not Kasha and Eldrine.

It was interesting that they had chosen to come and confront him here. Svivren was run by the Trade Alliance and their rules were strict. Personal weapons were outlawed and stiff penalties and imprisonment met any criminal activity. Kylo had had to be extremely careful on his visits, often dressing as a local. The many humans and Ewoks and Sullustrans on the planet blended in with the local population and he’d gone undetected, a few well-placed mind tricks ensuring that his lightsaber had gone unnoticed as well, although the people he’d assassinated had choked to death at his will.

‘Really?’ Kylo turned and saw Hux looking at him. ‘I had no idea you did things like that.’ His voice was thoughtful and also a touch admiring. ‘I had no idea you were capable of such subtlety.’

‘Being Snokes attack dog wasn’t all hacking and making a spectacle of myself.’ He replied. ‘Sometimes I had to go unnoticed. I’m actually very good at that sometimes.’

‘I’m starting to realise there’s all sorts of things you’re good at.’ Hux replied, nodding at the way Kylo was expertly piloting the ship. ‘Like that.’

‘Another hidden talent.’ Kylo replied, a feeling of bitterness welling up inside him.

‘You wanted to be like him, didn’t you?’ Hux asked. ‘You wanted to be a smuggler like your father.’

‘It meant freedom.’ Kylo replied. ‘It meant being the master of my own destiny. I think that’s why Snoke wanted me to kill him. He was that last little bit of rebellion inside me.’

‘I don’t know about that.’ Hux was smiling, the sharpness in it matching the sardonic note in his voice. ‘You seem to be doing a fine job of rebelling at the moment.’

‘I know you don’t agree with this.’ Kylo replied. ‘I know you think we should find Kasha and Eldrine first, but the Knights are my problem. I must deal with it.’ He gave Hux a sidelong look. ‘You don’t have to come with me.’ He felt the flash of hurt that caused and his stomach lurched unpleasantly.

‘I don’t have a choice.’ Hux snapped in reply. ‘If you’ve got your heart set on getting yourself killed then I suppose I am going to be the one to get you out of it.’ Kylo sat back and sighed.

‘I am sorry.’ He said. ‘But this is me trying to do the right thing.’

‘This is you trying to be the centre of attention as usual.’ Hux replied, but the bite had mostly gone out of his voice. ‘I just don’t want anything to happen to you.’

‘It won’t.’ Kylo replied.

***********

Phasma looked out the viewport of her room. She could hear the men outside that was guarding her, although it was nowhere nearly as overt as if it had been on the Finalizer, not that she would ever be in that position again.

She had had a fairly restful night. The bed had been comfortable, not that such things really mattered to her. She’s been awoken by the sound of another man bringing her breakfast. The food had been unfamiliar but Phasma had been pretty sure that they wouldn’t have gone to so much trouble to get her to what seemed like a fairly important centre for smuggler activity if they had wanted to get rid of her. They could have done that out in orbit. So she’d eaten it and long ignored taste buds in her mouth had thanked her. Phasma had been a little surprised to find herself enjoying the meal, a novel experience after a lifetime of space rations.

After that had been a shower and she’d come out to find a change of clothes on the bed. She was now dressed, the same tight pants and fitted shirts that all Corellians wore, a heavy blast vest over it and a pair of boots that actually fitted. She’d raked her fingers through her damp hair and was just about to go and enquire as to what would come next when the door opened and Corvis came into the room.

‘Time to lock and load.’ he said cheerfully. ‘It looks like I’ve given the pleasure of your company.’ She frowned at him. ‘Melik and the other smuggler chiefs have decided that it would be best for me to take responsibility for you until such time allows things to change. My wife has sent me a transmission to tell me where she is and I am going to rendezvous with her. I haven’t informed her that you are here or about your rescue mission.’ He grinned. ‘It should be an interesting development.’

‘Hux will be where we are going?’ Phasma asked and he nodded.

‘Kylo too.’ he replied. ‘One big happy reunion.’

‘In that case, may I suggest that we limit the number of people going.’ Phasma replied, her voice serious. ‘I do not wish to draw attention to ourselves.’

‘We’re going to a planet where the smuggler trade and criminal organisations have no foothold.’ Corvis replied. ‘After that they are going to go and hide out and we are going to start making plans.’ He held out the chromed and modified blaster rifle that Adoama had confiscated from Phasma when they had first taken them into custody. ‘You said the First Order is on the move. You can prove your loyalty to Hux and to us by telling us how we can make that as difficult as possible for them.’

Phasma looked at him and he met her eyes, his gaze steady. After a few moments she reached out and took the weapon from him.

‘Me and Mitaka will go with you.’ she said. ‘Unamo and Thanisson know more about the First Order battleplans than we do. They should stay here and help your people prepare. Snoke is planning a full scale assault, calling in all the Order’s battleships.’ She checked the weapon over, her hands caressing the weapon.

‘Why Mitaka?’ Corvis asked. ‘He seems a little out of his depth.’ Phasma smiled.

‘He has a fine engineering mind.’ she replied. ‘Almost the equal as that of Hux. Unfortunately he suffers from a nervous disposition, but I think you’ll find him useful.’

‘In that case we’ll take him with.’ Corvis replied. He stood aside and gestured at the door. ‘Shall we go, Captain.’

‘Phasma.’ Phasma said. ‘I’m not a captain anymore.’ She cradled the blaster rifle and moved past him.

‘Doesn’t stop me from calling Hux the General.’ Corvis laughed and followed her out.

********

Leia walked the corridors of the base on D’Qar, her mind a mess of conflicted feelings. She’d woken up a start, dread uncurling in her stomach and her heart pounding. It had been the same feeling she’d had once before, and then her heart had broken the very next cycle when she’d felt Han’s death. She walked with purpose, her feet taking her to the one place she knew she’d find the comfort she sought and possibly some answers.

The hatch opened even as she got to the room and she went in. Like was already standing at the small hospitality centre, heating water for the odd herbal tea he drank. He was dressed in his inner robe only and his blue eyes were full of sadness when he looked at her. It was a look he’d worn since he had returned.

‘There is something coming.’ he said and Leia went to him, taking her twin’s hand and leaning her head on his shoulder.

‘I felt it.’ she replied. ‘Like a terrible darkness. The last time I felt it…’ She trailed off, still unable to make herself say the words. ‘Do you know what it is?’

‘It’s Ben.’ Luke said. ‘And him.’ He poured the water over the dried leaves he’d already distributed into two cups and carried them over to the table where he placed one in front of her as he sat down. ‘There will be a test, but I fear he will not pass it.’

‘A test?’ Leia was confused. Getting anything out of Luke had been difficult, and he’d hardly said anything about Ben at all.

‘I have felt things shift and change since you told me everything.’ Luke replied. ‘There have been changes in the Force, such as I have never encountered before.’ He frowned and sipped his tea. ‘In my travels I have often felt like there were others, but I could never really sense them. Your information has now made me far more aware of what and who could be out there’ He sighed and reached into his pocket and withdrew a holocron and Leia stared at it. They had discussed her encounter with Oluru and she had told them about the Grey Jedi. ‘I was going through my things and found this. I couldn’t understand it at the time, none of it made any sense but now it is starting to. If Ben has truly broken with Snoke and become an apprentice of the Grey Jedi there is hope for him yet, but this feeling inside me tells me that he will be tested and soon.’

‘Will he be killed?’ Leia asked, her heart contracting with fear.

‘I cannot tell.’ Luke sighed heavily, his age settling on him like a cloak. ‘I haven’t been able to see. There is something trying to keep me out and I am fairly certain it is Snoke.’

‘So what can we do?’ Leia asked.

‘Nothing at the moment, but prepare ourselves.’ Luke looked at her. ‘There is something else I have felt, a gathering of power. I think there will be a strike against the Resistance.’

‘Then we will need to prepare.’ Leia said. They sat in silence a few moments sipping their tea until Luke took in a breath and she felt herself tense in anticipation.

‘Finn.’ Luke said. ‘You have felt it?’

‘I have.’ Leia replied. ‘Chewie has told me about how he fought on Takodana.’

‘And Rey has told me how he fought on Starkiller. Not only that but it moves through him so effortlessly and yet he has no idea that he possesses it.’

‘You want to train him.’ Leia said.

‘I want to train both of them.’ Luke replied. ‘I have come to realise that the Jedi will need to be rebuilt. I have been blind and selfish and my failure caused me to abandon all the principles I held.’ He looked at her again and now he looked a bit more like himself, his blue eyes starting to light up. I have also decided that if there are other Jedi who have been working to bring peace to the galaxy then I need to join forces with them. We can help each other.’

‘We don’t even know who they are.’ Leia said. ‘Oluru said they are secretive and stars know that they haven’t been exactly forthcoming in aiding anyone in their fight against the Empire or the First Order.’

‘Perhaps that is because they do not work in the light where they can be seen.’ A small smile crossed Luke’s face. ‘They work in the shadows.’ He took her hand. ‘I am going to help you find Ben and bring him back, but I cannot do it by myself. Finn and Rey are the ones we will have to pin our hopes on. They are both young and strong and they will be a formidable force once they have been properly trained. But I know now that I have gaps in my knowledge that requires the assistance of those who have been doing this a lot longer than I have.’ Leia looked back at him, her dark eyes searching.

‘Are you ever going to tell her?’ she asked. Luke avoided her eyes.

‘I wouldn’t know where to even begin.’ He said, his voice tight with pain.

‘Maybe at the beginning.’ Leia replied. ‘She deserves to know the truth.’

‘I know that.’ Luke said. ‘I am just so afraid she will hate me for what I did.’

‘You will only find out if you tell her.’ Leia said. ‘But believe me when I tell you that the longer you leave it the harder it will be.’

***********

They found a small inn not too far from the docking bays and Hux used the last of the credit chips he had to pay for a room. They went upstairs and Kylo took up a position at the window. He was quiet but restless, fidgeting and getting up to walk around the room. Hux could feel the turmoil bubbling away inside him and went to place a hand on his shoulder.

‘When you don’t know what is coming sometimes it’s a good idea to go out and confront it.’ He said. ‘We can choose how this goes down and where.’

‘Something’s not right though.’ Kylo looked at him and his dark eyes were troubled. ‘I can almost feel something but it keeps getting away from me.’ He leaned his chin on Hux’s hand. ‘Do you feel it?’

‘No.’ Hux answered. ‘But then your powers are a lot more sensitive than mine so I trust your instincts.’

‘I think that’s the first time you’ve ever said that.’ Kylo replied and there was a ghost of a smile on his face. His eyes lowered. ‘I’m afraid, Hux. I can feel myself…being pulled.’ He shook his head. ‘It feels like when I was still dark.’

‘And you’re not dark anymore?’ Hux pressed. He could feel that Kylo needed to get this out.

‘Yes, part of me is.’ Kylo said. ‘But it’s more than that. The fear is what used to keep me from questioning and how he used to control me.’ He looked at Hux. ‘I haven’t felt that since you.’ Hux studied him, noting how the muscles in Kylo’s jaw were twitching.

‘At the Academy we were all afraid.’ he said. ‘But we learned very quickly that fear makes you slow to act and if you were slow you would die. There was no time to be afraid, only to act.’ He took Kylo’s chin in his hand and turned his face to him. ‘You are many things Kylo Ren. Since I have known you I have thought you stupid, reckless and more infuriating an individual than anyone I have ever encountered. But the one thing I have never known you to be is a coward.’ He placed his hand to Kylo’s cheek, running his thumb over Kylo’s mouth in a gesture that now seemed like he'd always done it. ‘The key here is strategy. You say that the Knights have come for you. Then I suggest we put what you know of them to the test. You trained them after all and you’ll be aware of their weaknesses.’

‘So we go to meet them?” Kylo said. ‘They are usually the hunters.’

‘Then I say it is time for them to be the hunted.’ Hux replied. ‘How long until it gets completely dark?’

‘A few hours.’ Kylo replied. ‘They prefer the dark and will probably be looking for me one the suns have set.’

‘Good.’ Hux said. He stepped away and moved to the bed and sat down on the edge. ‘Then I suggest we get a few hours rest and have something to eat. We might as well enjoy ourselves before we go to our inevitable doom.’ The sharp edge in his voice made Kylo smile.

‘I’d hate to be on your bad side.’ he said. Hux snorted.

‘You were on my bad side for pretty much our entire working career together.’ he replied. ‘Ironic that it’s only now I am starting to appreciate your talents.’ He patted the bed.

‘Come here, Ren.’

*********

‘So our plan is what exactly?’ Phasma asked.

‘Our plan is to head to Svivren.’ Corvis said. ‘The communication from Kasha said that’s where they were going and then they are going to hide out for a bit until they can come up with a plan to get rid of Snoke, although she will not be telling me exactly they are going. Safer that way.’ Corvis said. Phasma looked back at Mitaka, who was trotting behind them and Mosh, his pale face full of worry.

‘Keep up, Dopheld.’ she said and the man trotted even faster. Corvis exchanged a grin with Mosh.

They had given all the defectors new clothing that was a considerable step up from their stolen gear. Phasma was tall but so were many Corellians and she was now resplendent in a dark grey shirt and black pants, the traditional knee high boots making her long legs look even longer. She had been given a jacket, but it had proven too short in the sleeve so she had exchanged it for an armoured hide vest, her bandolier for her blaster rifle across her chest and a dark rust red scarf around her neck. Mitaka, by contrast, was in drab olive and brown which only served to make him look a little ill. He had been equipped with a blaster as well, but it didn’t seem to sit properly and he kept fidgeting with it.

They got to the docking bay and Corvis saw Melik and Adaoma standing waiting for them. Ferrik, Adaoma’s Mandalorian third-in-command was with them, arms folded. He saw then and nodded in their direction. His mask was in place as it always was when he was off ship. Corvis had known him for twenty years and only seen his face three times.

‘You’re ready to go?’ Melik asked as they got to them and Corvis nodded. ‘The ship’s been refuelled and Bhutara’s been overseeing the loading of food and other gear aboard the Kyari. Once you’ve met up with Kasha you can report to the Unknown regions and start collecting intelligence on what the First Order is doing.’ He nodded at Phasma and Mitaka.

‘These two will no doubt be extremely helpful.’

‘I think so.’ Corvis replied. He looked at his cousin. ‘You coming along?’

‘Well you’re going to need someone with the ability to plan strategically.’ Adaoma said. ‘And Ferrik and I aren’t planning on letting you have all the fun.’

‘No.’ Ferrik’s vocoder distorted voice was coloured with humour. An ex-mercenary, he had tangled with the smugglers on many occasions before deciding to throw his lot in with them and now acted as Adaoma’s enforcer. One of her sidelines was in transporting extremely valuable cargo and his expertise came in very handy.

‘Well then, let’s away.’ Corvis laughed. ‘We’ll jump to lightspeed and lay a course for Svivren. It should take about sixty-hours to get there.’

‘Good luck.’ Melik said and they embraced. ‘We’ll wait for your news.’

Corvis nodded and walked with Mosh to the ramp. Phasma and Mitaka came with them and followed them onto the ship. Bhutara was waiting at the top of the ramp and she smiled and took their two new travelling companions with her to the galley.

Corvis and Mosh went to the cockpit and started the ship’s engines, running through their take-off procedures. Corvis looked through the cockpit viewports and watched his cousin saying good bye to her father. Melik glanced up once at him, raising his hand and Corvis did the same.

The Kyari’s engines roared to life and they lifted off, landing gear retracting before Corvis punched in the navigational sequence and she took off into the night sky.

**********

Kylo lay on his stomach looking out the window. The sky had changed from a soft orange at sunset to a deep velvety black. The feeling inside him was stronger now and no amount of distraction on Hux’s part had managed to kick it.

He turned his head and watched as Hux came back from the refresher, now re-dressed and buckling his belt. He stopped at the table, replacing his blaster and lightsaber and Kylo studied him. They had left the illuminations off while they fucked, letting the dying light accompany them until they had worn themselves out.

‘You should get dressed.’ Hux said, shrugging into his jacket. ‘I have no doubt the Knights would be thrown off balance by you turning up like that but it is a bit impractical.’ Kylo sighed deeply and sent out a wave of affection at him and felt it being returned. He got up, stretching the kinks out and then started retrieving his clothing from the floor, dressing as slowly as he could without making it too obvious he was stalling. He hated this, wanted nothing more than to seal himself and Hux away in the room and pretend like the galaxy didn’t exist outside.

By the time he was dressed. Hux was looking out the window into the dark. Kylo could feel his anticipation, a strange tension that felt almost like excitement. It was the strongest thing he’d felt from Hux prior to action. He thought back to their time on the Finalizer and the icy detachment he’d always felt when they had gone into battle. He reached for his lightsaber and hooked it on his belt then holstered his blaster, drawing on the feeling he was getting from Hux and feeling his own strength and confidence stating to build.

‘I’m ready.’ he said.

**********

‘We have to leave her here.’ Kasha said. Eldrine frowned and looked at Millicent snoozing on the bed. ‘We can’t take her with.’

‘Very well.’ Eldrine said. She picked up her grey cloak and draped herself in it, pulling the hood over her head and concealing her face. Kasha did the same and they left the room, walking silently down the corridor and down the stairs out into the night.

‘I still can’t find them.’ Kasha said, her brow furrowed in concentration. She reached out through the Force, trying to get anything, any glimmer of either Hux or Kylo but it was still devoid of anything that she could track. ‘Hux is masking them. That’s the only explanation.’

‘He is adept at it.’ Eldrine said, a touch of pride in her voice. ‘He could probably teach some of us how to improve our skills in this area.’

‘The problem is that if he is masking, that begs the question as to why.’ Kasha said. ‘There’s something very wrong about all of this.’

‘Maybe we’re going about this the wrong way.’ Eldrine rumbled and Kasha looked at her.

‘What do you mean?’ she asked.

‘Well, the only reason I can think for them to be masking themselves from everyone is that they have been found and are hiding.’ Eldrine said. ‘But if they have detected the presence of those that would harm them…’

‘Then theoretically so should we be able to.’ Kasha smiled, the edges of it sharp. ‘That makes sense.’

‘I do have some skills.’ Eldrine was gently mocking.

‘Of course, Master Eldrine.’ Kasha smiled at her. ‘Now, if I were Kylo who would I be hiding from?’ She closed her eyes and Eldrine did the same, both of them reaching out and feeling through the Force for anything that felt out of place to them. To Kasha it was like dipping her hands in a stream of cool water and letting it flow through her fingers, sifting out anything that didn’t belong. She couldn’t sense anything and was about to give up but then there was the tiniest flicker against her consciousness. She explored it tentatively and it felt far too familiar so she latched onto it. What she found made her feel sick to her stomach.Her eyes snapped open and she saw that Eldrine had done the same and was now staring out into the darkness of the alley they were in.

‘You felt it?’ she asked and Eldrine nodded.

‘Through you. It’s faint but it’s there.’ She could hardly contain the horror in her voice. ‘Why here?’

‘He’s come to collect what’s his.’ Kasha said. She dug her nails into her palms to try and quell the anger inside her. ‘We need to find them and fast.’

************

They had been walking for an hour when it happened. Kylo caught a glimpse of something out of the corner of his eye, a figure that moved like living shadow.

The streets of Wrils were busy, even at night, and they were sticking to back alleyways and now found themselves in the industrial pat of the city, full of customs buildings and warehouses. There were far fewer people here and they hadn’t seen anyone for some time. There was also a lot less lighting and more often than not they were shrouded in black.

Kylo opened his mind, searching out for the presence of darkness and found it. He could feel them, all of them including the two new ones. They had fanned out, moving in a semi-circle around them to hem them in. Next to him Hux was walking, his face a perfectly calm mask. Kylo prodded at him and felt a steady stream of assurance.

_I’m here. I won’t leave you._

_They are all around us._

_I know. I can feel them through you._

They came out of the alleyway they were in, and found themselves in a square, hard packed cobbles beneath their feet. There were deeper shadows were other alleys fed into it and Hux turned so he and Kyo were back to back as they moved to the middle of the open space.

_This is rather convenient. How did you know about this place?_

_I…. I don’t remember._

Kylo felt trepidation settle heavy in his veins and knew suddenly that this was no coincidence. Hux had allowed him to lead because he knew the city and Hux didn’t, but now he became horribly aware that he had just been herded like a domestic animal, driven to this place. He reached for his saber and ignited it, the violet blade lighting up the air around him. Behind him, the air turned orange as Hux did the same. They stood like that, both staring into the darkness around them and then Kylo saw movement in the shadows. He felt Hux’s will turn to resolve and smiled. The man at his back was strong and brave and would not run. It gave him strength and he brought the saber up in front of him.

‘Come on, then!’ he shouted. ‘This is what you wanted!’

He felt them before he saw them, the odd sensation of their conjoined minds buzzing in his head. They stepped out of the pockets of shadow, six of them. They were armoured and masked, just as he had been when he had been their leader, all bearing their weapons.

‘Kriff.’ Hux muttered behind them. ‘All right, so how bad is this going to be?’

‘Bad.’ Kylo said. ‘They were trained by me and they have no cosnscience to speak of. The Dark Side is with them.’

‘Oh wonderful.’ Hux moved into a defensive position. ‘Just kriffing perfect.’

**********

Kasha stopped dead. Her head tilted as she seemed to be listening. Eldrine knew that she was feeling her way forward using the Force to find what they were looking for. Wrils was big and it had taken time for them to move through the city, Kasha doing her best to follow the trail of evil through the Force, like a Mandalorian after a bounty.

‘This way.’ She said and started to run. Eldrine hiked up her robes and followed her.

**********

Kylo kept his eyes on the Knights in front of him, trusting Hux to watch his back.

‘They aren’t attacking.’ Hux said, and his confusion rippled through him. ‘Why aren’t they attacking?’

‘I don’t know.’ he replied, although he was starting to feel something else now. It was corrupt, like a rotting animal underneath a building, and he wrinkled his nose in response to it as it welled and grew stronger. It was only when he heard his name drifting through the quiet like the rustles of dead leaves that he realised why he had been feeling the way he had.

Snoke was strong with the Dark Side of the Force. The truth behind Kylo’s lack of ability to mask himself was because Snoke had never taught him, preferring to always be able to find his acolytes should he need them. He himself, however, had masked himself from them all. And it would seem that was what he had done now. He had allowed Kylo to sense the Knights and used the Knights to mask his own presence and Kylo had made a very grave mistake in underestimating his former master’s duplicity and his power. He straightened up, lowering his saber.

‘You can come out!’ he shouted and felt Hux’s surge of astonishment as he realised what was happening. ‘I know you’re here!’

The Knights stepped in closer, just one more step, and brought themselves into line with each other. The two in front of Kylo moved slightly to the side as a hooded and cloaked figure moved out of the darkness to walk between them. He was tall, and Hux’s surprise was compounded by this knowledge. He was not to Kylo’s left, his saber still held defensively.

‘It can’t be.’ he breathed.

‘It is.’ Kylo replied. ‘I should have known he would not let me leave so easily.’ Everything was now resolving itself in his mind, and he knew without a shadow of a doubt that this was his test. ‘He’s come to take me home.’

‘No!’ Hux’s reply was sharp, angry. ‘He is not your home! Not anymore!’ He moved to stand alongside Kylo. ‘If he wants you, he has to get through me.’

Snoke’s dry chuckle filled the square, echoing off the walls. Kylo noticed that beyond the line of knights the darkness was growing and becoming an impenetrable wall.

‘General.’ Snoke said, moving to stand in front of them. ‘It is good to finally see you in person.’ His face was invisible beneath the hood of his cloak, but Hux shivered at the sound of his voice and Kylo felt it. Instinctively he reached out and Hux reached back, their feelings twisting around each other’s.

‘Enough!’ Snoke roared and his power hit Kylo so hard it almost knocked him to his knees. Next to him Hux gasped in pain and staggered back, hand to his head. ‘You have both betrayed me!’

Kylo managed to lift his head, fighting through the pain to bare his teeth at his former master.

‘You are the one that betrayed me!’ he hissed. ‘You told me that you would make me great, that you would teach me all the ways of the Dark Side and it would make me strong.’ He raised his saber in defiance. ‘You lied!’

‘You will submit to me, Kylo Ren.’ Snoke had one wrinkled claw raised, the pallor of his skin noticeable even in the dim light. ‘You will come back and complete you training and fulfil your destiny.’

‘No!’ Kylo roared. ‘I a no longer your creature to command! I have chosen my own destiny!’

‘It was never yours to choose, you foolish child.’ Snoke’s anger was palpable now, flooding through Kylo’s head and making him grit his teeth in agony. He could feel that Hux was barely holding it together next to him and knew he couldn’t hold out for long. Hux had never been exposed to the cruelty of Snoke’s power, never experienced it turned on him. In spite of all of that though, he was still standing tall at Kylo’s side, that perfect disdainful look on his face making Kylo’s spirit soar. He recalled the contempt he used to read from Hux when they had had their audiences with Snoke and directed that thought at Hux.

_Remember that. Use it._

‘You think your power is a match for mine?’ Snoke sneered. ‘You and your general have weakened yourselves by throwing your lot in with those pathetic vagrants that call themselves the Grey Jedi. I have cut down more of them in my time than you could possibly comprehend.’

‘And yet they still fight.’ Kylo was taken aback to hear Hux speak, and the strength in his voice heartened him. ‘Your time will soon be at an end, Supreme Leader.’ He spat the last two words and Kylo felt pride fill him. He turned back to Snoke.

‘You have failed, Snoke.’ He was quieter now, calmer. ‘You told me once that I would only be strong by embracing my hate. That I needed to cut every tie I had to become what I could truly be.’ He felt the anger inside him, but now it rose pure and blazing hot like the fires that he saw every time he and Hux were together. Kylo let it fill him, let it fuel his power. ‘You told me that killing my father would bring me everything I wished for.’ He found himself laughing as he realised just how true those words were. ‘What you couldn’t foretell was that what I wanted wasn’t to kneel at your feet.’ He looked at Hux. ‘It was to stand at his side.’

He knew the exact moment Hux realised what he was confessing to, the depth of Kylo’s feeling for him that Kylo was only now starting to understand. The response was almost overwhelming.

_Kylo…_

_I love you._

Hux’s indrawn breath was sharp, his eyes wide and filled with wonder at what Kylo had just told him.

_You bloody kriffing idiot. I love you too._

Kylo smiled at him. He turned back to Snoke.

‘This is what I had to learn.’ he said. ‘I do not belong to the Dark or the Light. I belong to the between, where I can make my own choices and my own mistakes. Love isn’t my weakness, love is my strength.’ He felt as light as a stream of spacedust dancing through the void, and bought his saber up. He started to walk forward, determination in every step. He could feel Hux’s feelings building and drew on them, his strength of will building.

He started to speak, and heard Hux join in behind him.

_‘Flowing through all, there is balance_  
_There is no peace without a passion to create_  
_There is no passion without peace to guide_  
_Knowledge stagnates without the strength to act_  
_Power blinds without the serenity to see_  
_There is freedom in life_  
_There is purpose in death_  
_The Force is all things and I am the Force’_

By the time he spoke the final word, Hux was with him again. They looked at each other and Hux smiled at him.

‘Time to finish this.’ he said. Kylo nodded.

In front of them Snoke snarled like an animal and raised his hands to push back his hood, eyes flaring yellow in the darkness.

‘Kill them.’ he ordered. ‘Kill them both.’


	30. Coalition

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The final chapter in this part, and things all start falling into place.

Kasha and Eldrine ran. They had felt the massive surge in the Force and the darkness of the energy that was being released and zoned in on it. They had made it into the large area on the outskirts of Wrils, but they could not get a firm fix on exactly where Hux and Kylo were.

‘There’s something blocking us.’ Eldrine slowed and placed her hand against the building they were next to.

‘It’s Snoke.’ Kasha said. She was almost vibrating with anger and worry and Eldrine moved to stand in front of her.

‘Kasha.’ She said sternly. ‘You must calm yourself. We will not be of any use of you lose control.’

‘I know.’ Kasha took a deep breath. ‘It’s just that they are so close.’

‘Come on.’ Eldrine said. ‘Let’s keep looking.’

**********

They were relentless.

Hux had never faced such an enemy before, their lack of anything resembling independent thought making them seemingly immune to pain and fear. They struck from all sides, three on him and three on Kylo. The two of them fought back to back and the Force flowed between them effortlessly. Their strikes combined and worked as one, their feelings for each other holding them in touch. The Knights were armed with vibro-blades and electro-staffs and they wielded them expertly, moving as one unit to strike and counter-strike. Their style was different to what he had been taught, more akin to the heavy footed forms Kylo had used at the beginning of their training.

Hux used every bit of skill he possessed, using his saber to fend off the physical blows directed at him. He focused all his energy into reading and predicting the moves of the three Knights that he was fighting against, then blinking as the heaviness in the air finally translated into precipitation and fat drops of rain started to fall, slowly at first and then in a torrent that soaked him through to the skin in minutes. They hit the blade of his saber, hissing as they evaporated instantly. Hux improvised, and threw out his hand to push away at his attackers. The Force push was enough to keep two at bay while he fought against one, and he did that for some time, cycling between them. Behind him Kylo was bellowing in anger as he fought, a veritable storm of violet light.

Hux could feel that it was becoming easier to parry and strike as he became more confident with his forms. It bought back memories of the Academy, late night melees that they would be forced from their beds to participate in in the belief that it made them ready to face anything. He shook his wet hair out of his eyes and smiled grimly as a downward stroke caught one of the Knights in the arms and they yelled in pain, moving back for another to take their place. He felt like he was doing well, even getting the upper hand, and so when the blow came it took him by surprise. The vibro knife the Kinght wielded caught him between the ribs and even though he got his strike in, his saber going right through the Knight’s chest, the damage was done and he staggered back, falling to one knee. He did feel a sense of satisfaction though to see the Knight topple over face first into the mud.

He swayed as the pain in his side went right through him, hot and searing his insides. He looked up through eyes that were rapidly becoming bleary and watched Kylo. He was spellbound by the grace with which he moved, the violet blade twirling in his hand and slicing through the air as he battled his Knights. Sparks flew as saber met electro-staff and then the Knight bellowed, his arm cut off at the shoulder. Hux smiled, tasting his own blood on his lips, hand pressed to his side. He was so proud of the man in front of him. He was only sorry that they had had such a short time together but also so grateful they had had any time at all.

He finally fell, feeling like he’d been balanced on the edge of a precipice for an eternity when all his logic told him it had barely been a minute. The ground was hard beneath him, and Hux made the colossal effort to roll onto his back and ward off a blow with his saber even as the pain felt like it was tearing him to pieces.

_Kylo…_

It was soft, a whisper of a thought but it was enough to make Kylo turn and see him. His whole face changed in an instant and the fury Hux saw there made him afraid for anyone that would stand and face him.

************

Kylo felt his blood run cold. Hux was lying on the ground and he was in agony, hand pressed to his side while still using his saber to ward off the Knight that loomed over him.  
That was all it took for Kylo’s self-control to snap. He raised a hand, a sweeping gesture releasing a power Force push that lifted the Knight clean off their feet and threw them into the wall so hard there was a sickening crunch when they hit and fell to the ground, crumpled into a heap. Kylo waited to see that they did not get up before turning back to face the Knight in front of him. Behind him, Jorda Ren had swung their heavy electro-staff and Kylo turned just in time to block the blow. He parried and moved at the same time, until he was standing over Hux. The three remaining Knights moved to circle him, their weapons held at the ready. Snoke watched all this dispassionately, his yellow eyes burning in the darkness.

‘You cannot win, Kylo Ren.’ he said. ‘And I will take great pleasure in killing your General in front of you and watching your pain.’

Kylo gave Hux a quick glance. Hux’s face was pale, mud smeared across one cheek but his pale green eyes were still defiant when he looked up at him.

_Kill him._

Kylo nodded, then let out a furious cry as he took himself back into the fray. This time the three Knights fell back under the fury of his onslaught, all that Kasha had taught him coming out in a flurry of beautifully controlled strikes. He could feel it now, the glory of battle singing in his veins as he threw himself into it. He knew now what she meant, that it was the love of the fight that lay at the heart of Juyo and allowed him to move with such unpredictability that the Knights could not keep up. They moved back and he got closer and closer to where Snoke stood, his every sense focused on his objective. He could feel Snoke through the Force, the depraved corrupted power that he cloaked himself in, and threw out all his own, all he was and felt into a single strike that knocked the remaining Knights aside and then they were face to face and Kylo raised his saber, poised ton deliver the killing blow.

That was when he realised that Snoke was smiling and for a second Kylo was so horribly confused by what was happening. He watched, almost in slow motion, as Snoke raised one hand.Then he realised that all that power Snoke held was not being directed at him. He lowered the saber and whirled around to see the three other knights slowly picking themselves up. But more importantly, he saw that Hux was now hanging in mid-air, his hands scrabbling at his throat as Snoke slowly and inexorably choked the life out of him. He was in such pain that it made Kylo’s thoughts cloud over red.

‘No!’ it came out furious, and Kylo was sure that he had never felt this helpless in his life. He turned back and raged against Snoke, using everything he had but it had no effect. He tried to strike him down and found himself rooted to the spot. Kylo struggled with everything he had and Snoke chuckled, moving towards him.

‘You thought you were strong.’ He said, the smug certainty in his voice making Kylo bellow and twist in the Force grip he was held in. ‘But what you do not realise is that I am far stronger. I have been feeding off of your strength since I bought you to me. And he is only just beginning to learn what it means to use the Force. Did you both honestly think that you could best me.’

‘I will.’ Kylo gritted out. ‘I will remove you from this world if it’s the last thing I do.’

‘Not before I take him out of it.’ Snoke gloated. He twisted his hand in the air and Hux made a strangled noise and suddenly everything seemed to stop as Kylo looked at him and Hux managed to raise his head to look back.

They had the thought at exactly the same time, but their reactions were very different.

_NO. DON’T YOU DARE DO IT._

Even though Hux was in agony, almost curling in on himself as Snoke not only choked him but used the Force to dig into the wound on his side, he sounded stern.

_I have to._

_No, you don’t. I am not worth it. You have come so far. Please… don’t go back. Not for me._

Kylo felt warm tracks down his face. He smiled at Hux.

_Don’t you know I would do anything for you, General?_

_He’ll kill you._

_But you’ll live and that will be enough for me._

‘Stop.’ Kylo said aloud, directing his words to Snoke and steeling himself for what he had to do. ‘Free him. Free him and I will go with you.’ He felt Snoke’s surprise and pressed his advantage. ‘Search my feelings. You know that I will do it, just let him be.’

‘You are truly lost, Kylo Ren.’ Snoke intoned. ‘What makes you think that I simply won’t kill you both?’

‘You came all the way here to find me.’ Kylo said, fighting to keep himself under control. ‘You’ve been telling me that I have to come back and complete my training. So I will. I will surrender and in return you will leave Hux alive.’ Snoke tilted his head slightly and regarded him. Then he nodded.

‘Agreed.’ he said and Kylo felt the Force grip holding him in place evaporate just as Hux crashed to the ground. He extinguished his lightsaber, throwing it to the ground and running to him. He feel to his knees, gathering Hux up and pressing a hand to the wound in his side, feeling the heat of Hux’s blood on his palm.

_You idiot._

Hux’s voice was weak and he raised his own hand to Kylo’s face. Kylo smiled back at him, his wet hair obscuring his face.

_Find me._

He bent his head and Hux moved up with all his remaining strength to meet him. As kisses went it wasn’t the most passionate they had shared, but it had a finality to it that Kylo knew was more than just they saying goodbye. He closed his eyes and let himself fall into it, into the depths of Hux’s mind to that faraway place of ice and white and cool evergreen scented air. And when he opened them again he was standing on Starkiller once again but this time Hux was in front of him. They were dressed in black, the First Order uniform and robes they had worn before in their old lives. The wind blew past him and stirred Hux’s hair and Kylo stepped into his space and cupped his face.

‘I’ll be coming for you.’ Hux said, and his green eyes were blazing with that passionate certainty Kylo had seen in him all along.

‘I’ll be waiting.’ he relied and kissed him and behind them the planet exploded, the ice giving way to fire and molten rock that surrounded them like a cascade. It moved through the ice, his passion and Hux’s determination becoming linked inextricably until Kylo could feel himself inside Hux and knew that Hux was feeling the same. He could hear his heart beating, see himself through Hux’s eyes and felt the overwhelming love that was being directed at him.

He shut his eyes again and retreated back into himself. When he opened his eyes once more, Hux was unconscious. Kylo laid him gently on the ground and stroked his hair away from his face. Then He threw out a single surge of power, not for himself but for the man in front of him that he now knew he loved beyond all reason or doubt.

‘Enough! Leave him!’ Snoke sounded furious and Kylo slowly got to his feet.

‘You agreed.’ he said. He stretched out his hand and his lightsaber flew into it. He walked to Snoke and held it out. ‘I surrender.’

Snoke’s eyes flared with barely controlled rage. He held out his own hand and the lightsaber flew into it.

‘Take him.’ he snarled and two of the Knights came to grab Kylo by the upper arms and drag him away. He cast one last look over his shoulder as Snoke and the final Knight fell in step behind them, his last glimpse of Hux that of his prone body lying on the ground in the rain.

*********

Eldrine and Kasha felt Hux drop the Force mask the second he was hit.

His pain flared brightly through the Force and they both turned as if pulled and headed towards the source of it. It took them a while but alt last they got close and they unhooked their lightsabers and ignited them, coming along the alleyway that led to Hux, moving on silent feet through the rain.

The square they found themselves in was empty and they saw Hux lying on the ground. Kasha scouted for any sign of Kylo and the others as Eldrine went to her apprentice, shutting down her saber and kneeling down next to him. She passed a hand over his face and then gathered him up, lifting him as easily as if he were a child in her arms. She straightened up and turned to Kasha.

‘He’s alive.’ she said. ‘But we need to get this wound looked at.’ She hefted him gently, her face a picture of concern. ‘He’s also worn himself out. I fear this confrontation was simply too much as his stage of development.’

‘Snoke must have taken Kylo.’ Kasha’s face was white. She extended a hand and Hux’s lightsaber came to her and she hooked it on her belt along with hers. ‘I can’t feel him at all.’ She looked one way and the other and then made up her mind. ‘We need to get him to a med bay and then decide what we are going to do. We can’t track Kylo until we know what happened. Maybe Hux can get a fix on him.’ Her voice was full of despair and Eldrine felt her own fears coming to the fore. She watched Kasha walk past her and then fell instep behind her.

***********

Corvis frowned, sitting up in his bunk. He felt uneasy and got up, pulling on his boots and leaving his cabin to step out into the corridor. Mosh was flying the ship, he and Bhutara in the cockpit. Phasma and Mitaka had been installed in the spare cabins that Hux and Kylo had occupied. Corvis pushed his sleeves up and walked past the row of hatches to the living area. He entered, surprised when he saw Phasma sitting at the table, a mug in her hands. The delicate smell in the air told him Bhutara had no doubt been dispensing tea and sympathy.

Phasma lifted her head, her dark blue eyes tracking him as he went to the galley and started making himself some caf. He preferred it to tea and he caught her suddenly hopeful look when she saw what he was doing.

‘Would you like some?’ he asked and she nodded.

‘Please.’ she replied. ‘I am afraid this is not quite to my taste.’

Corvis made the caf and bought it to the table. He handed it to her and took the tea away then went to join her. He sipped and caught her giving him a strange look.

‘Is something wrong?’ she asked and he shrugged.

‘I’m not sure yet.’ he replied. ‘I have a feeling.’ Phasma frowned in confusion and he started to explain. ‘My wife is one of the Grey Jedi. When things are wrong, sometimes I pick up on how she’s feeling and right now it doesn’t feel good.’

‘A Jedi?’ Phasma asked. ‘You did not mention this earlier.’

‘Yes, she is.’ Corvis said. ‘The reason she’s there with Kylo is because she is training him. Not only that but Hux is being trained as well.’

‘Hux is being trained as a Jedi?’ Phasma’s face was a picture of astonishment and it was the first real emotion Corvis had seen from her. ‘How is that even possible?’

‘It’s a long story and I don’t understand the half of it myself.’ Corvis said. ‘Remember that I said you would find them very different to the men you remember? Well, being a Jedi is only one of the things that’s changed. He smiled at her. ‘Their relationship has also become, shall we say, complicated.’

‘Oh that?’ Phasma snorted. ‘You mean they finally stopped annoying each other long enough to fuck?’ She sounded so matter of fact and it had the effect of making Corvis choke on his coffee in surprise. When he finally stopped coughing he found her regarding him with a distinct glimmer of amusement in her eyes.

‘You knew?’ he asked and she shrugged.

‘Anyone with half a brain could have seen that one coming.’ she said. ‘I’m am a little put out by the fact that they did it after they decided to abscond. I would have won my own body weight in credits for predicting that particular event.’

‘Huh, fancy that.’ Corvis said and sipped his caf. He put his mug down and toyed with the handle for a bit. ‘According to what you and Hux have told us, you were part of their leadership triumvarite, weren’t you?’

‘I was.’ Phasma said. ‘My role was to oversee the Stormtrooper programme and missions.’

‘So you knew the one who went awol.’ Corvis said.

‘FN-2187.’ Phasma said. ‘Yes. I was his senior commander.’

‘His name’s Finn now.’ Corvis said. ‘Does that mean you had access to his enrolment data?’

‘I did.’ Phasma said. ‘Why?’

‘Let’s call it an academic interest.’ Corvis replied. ‘I just want to know where he was taken from.’

‘FN-2187 was part of a consignment sold to the First Order by the Hutts.’ Phasma said. ‘The First Order was at a point where anyone was taken into the programme, no questions asked.’ She looked at Corvis, her eyes intent. ‘Apart from that there was no other information.’ Corvis let out a deep breath.

‘It’s better than nothing.’ he replied, his mind starting to race.

**********

Goran Hessik was having a slow night when the door to the med bay slammed pen and two individuals came in. The taller of the two was carrying a third and Goran immediately saw that he was not in good shape.

‘This way.’ she said, hopping from her stool and leading them into the examination room at the back. ‘Put him down.’ She noticed that both figures were hooded and cloaked in grey, their faces hidden and that they were soaked through as was the man in front of her.

Goran got to work, cutting away the jacket and shirt. The wound was ugly, the edges jagged and torn and it was still bleeding profusely. She got a compression dressing on as quickly as she could, the thick bacta-enriched foam sealing off the blood vessels and sterilising the exposed tissue. Her patient shifted and murmured, his brow creased with pain, and the taller of his two companions stepped forward. They put one large green hand on his forehead and muttered something and he relaxed, his face smoothing out. Then they looked at Goran and she caught a hint of bright eyes in the shadow of the hood.

‘Please.’ The voice was deep and rumbling. ‘Continue.’ There was something in the voice, something that made Goran feel like she was being pleaded with, a deep concern radiating from the person in front of her. She went back to work and the other person moved to the door to keep watch. It took an hour but her patient eventually stabilised and Goran could draw a sigh of relief. His colour was back in his pale face and the bacta was doing its work.

‘The dressing will need to stay in place a while longer.’ she said. ‘And he cannot be moved. I will need to tend to him for a day or so.’ The two figures looked at each other and the shorter came forward. They held up a hand and spoke and Goran felt a heavy feeling come over, an odd lethargy.

‘You will tell us how to care for him and give us the supplies we need.’ the person said. Goran’s senses got fuzzy and she felt compelled to do what the person said. She tried to shake it off but the person gestured and any resistance she had evaporated.

‘I will show you how to care for him and give you the supplies you need.’ she found herself saying. It was the oddest feeling, but her body seemed to be intent on doing as it had been instructed and she found herself giving a complex and extended explanation of the medical care the man required. She then went around the clinic, taking out bacta kits and dressings and sutures and explaining how they had to be applied. The final thing she did was hand the tall figure a selection of medications and giving them strict instructions on how to dispense them. The tall one thanked her, grasping her hands in two giant paws and then Goran lost consciousness.

‘She has a strong mind.’ Kasha sighed as she watched Eldrine lift the sleeping doctor and place her on the examination table next to Hux. She dug in her pocket and took out a credit chip and then went to the doctor and tucked it into her pocket.

‘We should go.’ Eldrine said. ‘We need to get off planet and decide what must be done.’

‘Can you manage?’ Kasha asked and Eldrine nodded and lifted Hux’s unconscious form in her arms.

‘He barely weighs anything.’ she rumbled. ‘You humans always seem so fragile to me and yet you are surprisingly tough.’ She cradled Hux as if he was an infant.

Kasha led her out the clinic and they made their way back to the hotel. Eldrine carried Hux upstairs and laid him on the bed, then Kasha went through his pockets and found the security pass for an inn.

‘They were staying here.’ she said, noting how Millicent had mewed in recognition and immediately gone to Hux and curled up next to him. ‘I’ll go get their things and collect the ship. Take Hux with you to yours when he wakes up and then lift off and wait for me in orbit.’

‘What are you planning?’ Eldrine asked.

‘I honestly have no idea.’ Kasha said. ‘I can’t understand why Kylo would let himself be taken.’ She looked at Hux. ‘Or maybe I can.’

‘I feel something different in him.’ Eldrine said. ‘There has been a shift.’ Kasha frowned and then walked over to Hux. She placed her hand to his forehead and then snatched it away as if burned.

‘That sneaky little bastard.’ she said and Eldrine was surprised to hear that her voice was filled with admiration.

*********

_Hux._

Hux tried to listen but he was so tired.

_HUX. WILL YOU KRIFFING WAKE UP?_

There was feeling like he was being slapped in the face, which was extremely odd because he had no face to slap in this odd limbo he found himself in.

_What the kriff do you want, Kylo?_

He grumbled the words and the mental prodding got stronger.

_I need you to wake up and listen to me properly. I don’t have much time. We’re on our way out of the system and I need to tell you what to do in case he figures out that we’re connected and cuts us off._

_He can do that?_

_Maybe. I’m not taking any chances._

Hux made the colossal effort to come out of the fog he was in and then a few things occurred to him.

_Hang on a kriffing minute. How the hells are you doing this?_

_We’re bonded now._ Kylo sounded smug which was an odd thing for him to be considering his current situation. _I forged the bond with you before he could take me. He has, as far as I’m aware, no idea we did that which was exactly what I’d hoped would happen._

_No idea…what are you…you hoped this would…YOU KRIFFING PLANNED THIS????_

_Of course I planned this._ The smugness intensified until it was borderline insufferable. _Don’t be thick, Hux. Do you really think I would have let Snoke take me that easily? Do you have any idea how powerful I actually am? Besides, how else were we going to find out where he was? Now he has me, but what he doesn’t know is that you have a direct line into my thoughts and so you can follow us wherever we go._

_YOU SNEAKY SON OF A BANTHA. WHEN YOU GET BACK I AM GOING TO KILL YOU MY KRIFFING SELF._

_Admit it, you’re a little impressed._

_All right, maybe a little. So now what?_

_Now I convince Snoke that I am ready to be a good boy and finish my training. I grovel and behave like a chastised little boy and he tells me everything I want to know._

_I have to say Ren, I had no idea you could be so cunning._

_That’s you and everyone else though. Always underestimating me. I am the only child of smuggler of galactic renown and one the Rebel Alliance’s most decorated generals. I’m_ _a kriffload smarter than I look._

_You’re also incredibly reckless. This is a very dangerous game you’re playing._

_It’s not a game, Hux._ Now Kylo sounded serious. _Something big is about to happen and I am going to be part of it. I can feel it. I felt like things were clicking into place the moment I stepped aboard Snoke’s ship. This is exactly where I am meant to be. It’s tied to that vision I had of us underneath the Citadel. That will come to pass, probably sooner than we all expect. But that also means you have a job to do._

_I do?’_

_In my vision we weren’t alone. The smuggler and the traitor were with us._

_Ren…_

_I know. I know it’s not something either of us are going to be happy with, but they were there for a reason. We’ll need them to help us take Snoke down._

Hux sighed.

_And let me guess. I’m the one who’s got to go and convince them that they need to throw their lot in with us and help us fight Snoke._

_You’re not only a strategist, but a diplomat Hux. I’ve seen you persuade much harder cases than the Rebellion._

_THEY WERE ON OUR SIDE._

_Think of it as a challenge._

_Kriff, I hate you._

_No, you don’t._

_No. I don’t. Be careful, please._

_I will be. Just keep your mind open, I may need to contact you again soon once I know where exactly we’re headed._

_All right._

_And wake up. You’ve been unconscious for almost two full cycles. Eldrine is very worried and Millicent is convinced you’re dead._

_Are you watching me?_

_Kind of. It’s very hard to explain. The bond allows me to feel through you._

_Why didn’t you tell me about any of this?_

_Because my defences against Snoke are far stronger than yours. He would have read my intentions from you, now matter how hard you tried to hide them. I couldn’t take the risk of that happening. This way I can also protect you from him._

_Will I be able to do the same?_

_I think so. When you wake up, tell Eldrine and Kasha everything I have told you and they can help you with this. Eldrine had a Force bond with her mate and she’s probably the best one to guide you through it. Make sure you all stay together. I feel like that’s going to be very important in the next few weeks. Have you got that?_

_Of course. You want me to wake up, tell; everyone that we’ve been mystically Force married, I now have you jabbering away in my head, we’re using you as an homing beacon and we have to go visit the rebellion and tell your estranged mother that we need to take the smuggler and the traitor with us to go and rescue you and fight Snoke. That about cover it?_

_Yeah, maybe try not to mention to my estranged mother that we’re Force married. I really don’t know how she’ll react._

_You are impossible._

_You’re only saying that because you didn’t think of this first._

_I am saying it because I love you and if you do not come back in one piece I am going to be extremely put out._

_Hux could feel the warmth of Kyo’s affection wrapping itself around his mind like a blanket._

_Say it again._

_I love you._

_I love you too, Hux._

********

Hux woke with a start. He felt weak and his head was throbbing and so was his side.

‘Kriffing hell.’ he moaned, and his voice cracked like he hadn’t used it in an age. ‘I feel absolutely farkled.’

‘You had a hole in your side I could have put my fist in.’ The voice made Hux look at the person sitting next to him. ‘Not a good look on you, General.’

Hux smiled.

‘Alyssa.’ he said and she lowered the data pad she was reading and looked at him.

‘Armitage.’ she replied, and Hux frowned.

‘Never call me that again.’ he said. ‘What the kriff are you doing here?’ He looked around the unfamiliar room. Then he felt a soft head insinuate itself under his hand and looked down to see Millicent working her way under his arm and suddenly he was so close to tears it scared him.

‘Snoke’s gone mental.’ she said in her succinct way. I decided that I’d rather take my chances on the outside of the order. Mitaka’s with me and we left Thanisson and Unamo with the smugglers.’

‘And what?’ Hux struggled to sit up, but pain shot through him and he fell back down. Phasma regarded him wit a raised eyebrow. ‘You thought you’s just trawl through the galaxy trying to find me? Not that I don’t appreciate the sentiment, mind you.’ He looked around. ‘Where’s Kasha and Eldrine. I need to talk to them.’

‘They’re out getting the ships resupplied.’ Phasma. ‘I came off ship with Corvis to some and find you lot. We ran into kasha and she explained that there had been a confrontation with Snoke and that he’d taken Kylo.’ She fixed him with steely look. ‘And that’s another thing. Do you know how much money I would have won if you two had just sucked it up and fucked while you were on the Finalizer?’

‘How do you…’ Hux glared right back at her. ‘Corvis.’

‘I like him.’ Phasma said. ‘I like Kasha too. No bantha shit with those two.’ She chuckled. ‘Mitaka’s scared shitless of them and Eldrine. The only one he’ll talk to is Bhutara.’

‘She has that effect on people.’ Hux tried again and this time Phasma huffed and moved to help him sit up. He winced but it was better than lying down. ‘Look, I have a very important message for them. Where’s my com?’ Phasma reached over to the small cabinet beside the bed and retrieved it and handed it to him. Hux sent a message through and about ten minutes later the door opened and Eldrine came in.

Hux felt the strangest feeling upon seeing her, his pain instantly soothed and his mind clearing as she came over and sat down next to him, placing one huge hand against his forehead. Then she leaned in and rested her forehead against his and he heard her bell-like voice in his head.

It is good to see you my apprentice.

Hux smiled. Her presence was steadying and he felt calm and balanced again.

It is good to see you my Master. he replied and she pulled back, peering at him intently.

‘How are you feeling?’ she asked and Hux shrugged.

‘As well as can be expected considering that I almost lost an internal organ or two and my Force mate has decided to play spy and gone and gotten himself kidnapped by Snoke on purpose.’ he said sourly. To his surprise Eldrine started to laugh, a deep rich sound that came out of her chest.

‘Kasha is going to feed him to the Sarlacc.’ she said, shaking her head. ‘Although I can’t say I am surprised. It sounds the kind of recklessly idiotic thing she would have done as well.’ She smiled at him. ‘I am glad I picked you.’

‘So am I.’ Hux replied. ‘How did you find us?’

‘You dropped the Force mask when you were injured. We felt your pain.’ Eldrine said. ‘Snoke had taken Kylo and left by the time we got there and we could not abandon you to go after him.’

‘He had it all planned.’ Hux said. ‘He wanted Snoke to take him.’ He put a hand to his head. ‘Before he left he forged a bond between us.’

‘I felt that when we bought you back.’ Eldrine said. ‘I knew something was different.’ She nodded thoughtfully. ‘That was clever. He has hidden his intentions from us, and that is not easy to do. With any luck, Snoke will have no inkling of what Kylo has done.’

‘What is all this about?’ Phasma said. ‘ I leave you alone for five minutes and you’re a Jedi?’

‘Not on purpose!’ Hux snapped. ‘Believe me I’ve spent a lifetime repressing the fact that I am Force sensitive.’ He huffed. ‘It just so happens that apparently this is my destiny.’ He failed completely at keeping the sarcasm out of his voice.

Right at that moment though, the door flew open and two things happened. The first was that D’Jell came bounding in and jumped on the bed, making Hux yell out in pain as he was jostled. The second was that she was followed closely by a sort red-haired space storm that made the destructive power of Starkiller look like a light tickle.

‘YOU!’ she yelled and even Phasma flinched at the vehemence in it.

‘Not my fault!’ Hux protested. ‘Blame your kriffing apprentice!’

‘I am blaming you!’ Kasha waved her arms around wildly. ‘You were supposed to be the sensible one! You were supposed to keep him out of kriffing trouble!’

‘He’s your apprentice!’ Hux yelled back. ‘You keep him out of trouble!’

‘I can’t!’ Kasha yelled loud enough to make both Millicent and D’Jell abandon the bed and go hide under the table on the far sIde of the room. ‘SNOKE’S BLOODY TAKEN HIM!’

‘Don’t you just love family reunions?’ This was from the doorway and Hux looked past the incandescent Kasha and saw Corvis leaning in the doorway, a broad smile on his face. ‘Nice to see you up General.’

‘You too.’ Hux said, falling back against the pillows. He looked at Kasha and then was surprised as she sat down on the other side of the bed and leaned forward, putting her forehead to his like Eldrine had done.

‘Bloody idiots, the pair of you.’ she said.

‘I’ll have you know he planned the whole kriffing thing.’ Hux grumbled, but he let her power wash through him, feeling her relief that he was all right.

‘I am going to kill him.’ Kasha said. ‘He’s worse than a baby Rancor on the loose.’ She sat back. ‘And what do you mean he planned this?’

‘Oh, that’s just the first part.’ Hux said. ‘Wait till you hear what he wants us to do.’

**********

Leia sat and watched as Luke worked with Rey and Finn. He’d finally had the talk with the young trooper and explained a few things. Finn had been surprised and then been surprisingly pragmatic about the whole thing. He’d started training, his previous training as a soldier making him take to the combat side of things quickly. He and Rey were now sparring as Leia sat next to Luke and watched them.

‘They are strong with the Force.’ she said and Luke nodded. A ghost of a smile crossed his face as Rey feinted and then tripped Finn up with her staff then jumped on him laughing as he struggled to throw her off. It made Leia’s heart lighten. She’d felt like she was labouring under a dark cloud for the past few days and she couldn’t say why.

‘They will be ready to construct their sabers soon.’ he replied. ‘The quicker we can get them up to speed, the better.’

‘Will you leave?’ Leia asked.

‘I will.’ Luke replied. ‘I will take them away, some place where we can train in seclusion and safety. I will not risk these ones, Leia.’ He looked at her and she looked back, taking his hand and squeezing it.

‘Will you come back?’ she asked and this time the smile was small but genuine.

‘I will come back.’ he replied. ‘I promise.’

The door opened behind them and Leia and Luke turned to see Poe come in, his face a picture of surprise and consternation.

‘What is it?’ Leia asked and he seemed to be lost for words.

‘I don’t know quite how to put this.’ he said. ‘But we have visitors.’

‘Who?’ Leia asked, but Luke’s face suddenly changed and he got to his feet.

‘They’re here.’ He said and then he dashed past Poe, leaving Leia staring after him. She got up as well and followed, Poe, Rey and Finn on her heels.

Luke led them down the corridors until they got to the main flight control room overlooking the hangar. He went to the technician at the communications station. The man looked past him at Leia.

‘General Organa.’ he said. ‘We have three ships requesting permission to land.’

‘Ours?’ Leia asked and he shook his head.

‘No.’ he replied. ‘They won’t identify themselves.’

‘Open the shield and let them in.’ Luke said and Leia was taken aback at the authority in his voice.

‘Luke…’she started but he looked at her, blue eyes fierce.

‘Let them in, Leia.’ he said. Leia looked at him steadily and then nodded at the tech.

‘Do as Commander Skywalker says.’ She instructed and the tech loweed the shields.

‘Who are they?’ Rey asked as she came to stand next to him and Leia felt a tug at her heart at how alike they were.

‘The ones we’ve been waiting for.’ Luke replied and he moved to leave the control room. They followed him down onto the hangar floor. Chewie had been working on the Falcon and he came over to them as they gathered, growling at Luke.

They watched as three ships came in. Two were Corellian, light freighters which landed in the spaces in front of them. The third was of a kind Leia had never seen before and it had an almost organic look to it.

She felt the oddest feeling build up inside her, almost like she was being beckoned to something aboard those ships, something that tugged at her feelings and made her feel like there was a connection here that there shouldn’t have been. Then she realised that the larger of the two freighters was one she recognised.

‘It’s Corvis.’ she said. ‘The smuggler who was travelling with Ben.’ She frowned. But I don’t feel him with them.’

‘That’s because he’s not.’ Luke said.

The ramps came down on the two frieghters and they all watched as Corvis came out. Leia saw that he was with a woman, and remembered what Oluru had said about his wife. Luke inhaled sharply and then Leia felt the Force around the woman and how strong it was. She was dressed like a Corellian, but there was a lightsaber at her waist and she wore a grey cloak wrapped around her shoulders, her red hair loose and her hazel eyes stern in her pale face. They came over and Leia moved to greet them.

‘Corvis.’ she said.

‘General Organa.’ he replied with a smile. He shook her hand. ‘My wife, Kasha Jade.’ Leia looked at the woman, but she had eyes only for Luke and bypassed Leia completely to come to stand before him.

‘Master Skywalker.’ she said, her voice solemn, and then inclined her head. ‘It is good to meet you.’ Luke stared at her and then past her as another figure came down from the alien looking ship. This one was as tall as Chewie, a Feeorin female dressed in dark blue silk robes, a double ended lightsaber hanging from the red sash around her waist. Kasha turned and gestured to her as Eldrine drew close. ‘This is Master Eldrine Degovar. She is an Elder of our order.’

‘Master Degovar.’ Luke said and inclined his head and she did the same. Leia and the others could only watch in amazement.

‘You’re all Jedi?” she asked and they nodded. Then something caught Finn’s attention and he gasped aloud and Leia’s attention turned back to the two figures coming from the third ship, the smaller freighter that she recognised with a little twinge in her heart as being the same as the one that Ben had had a model of in his room all those years ago. But when she saw the face of the man that was now walking towards her, she had to stop herself from doing the same as Finn and exclaiming aloud.

He looked very different to how he had in the transmissions from Starkiller. This man had soft mussed red hair falling in his eyes and a full beard. He was dressed in smuggler’s clothes, a heavy dark blue cloth around his neck. But when she looked at him more closely, she saw the blaster he carried was First Order issue and his green eyes were every bit as fiery as they had seemed on the transmission. She was shocked to see the elegantly crafted lightsaber at his hip, and even more surprised to feel how strongly the Force also moved around him. He was accompanied by a statuesque woman, her short cropped platinum blonde hair and ice blue eyes setting off her pale face. She cradled a blaster rifle in a way that spoke of experience.

‘That’s Hux.’ Finn hissed behind her. ‘And Captain Phasma.’

Leia took a deep breath and steeled herself. She stepped forward and held out her hand. Hux came to a stop in front of her and his arrogant bearing and sheer self-confidence was more than a match for her own, although Leia noticed that he seemed a little strained in his movements. Nevertheless he took her hand, and his grip was firm and surprisingly forthright.

‘General Hux.’ she said, looking him straight in the eye. To his credit, Hux looked right back at her.

‘General Organa.’ he replied.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So this is the end of the road for now.

**Author's Note:**

> In the event that anyone would like to come and scream at me about Kylux I am on tumblr :) http://my-trex-has-fleas.tumblr.com/, merrily rooting around in the landfill.


End file.
